NewCentury 
3ible 


lesians 
blossiansPhilemon 

ians 


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Division 
Section 


, /V53 
4? 


THE  NEW-CENTURY  BIBLE 

EPHESIANS,  COLOSSIANS 
PHILEMON,  AND  PHILIPPIANS 


The  foUowtHg  thirteen  volumes,  contpristng  the  whole 
New  Testament,  have  already  been  arranged  for. 

1.  MATTHEW,  by  Prof.  W.  F.  Slater,  M.A. 

2.  MARK,  by  Principal  Salmond,  D.D. 

3.  LUKE,  by  Prof.  W.  F.  Adeney,  M.A. 

4.  JOHN,  by  the  Rev.  J.  A.  M'^Clymont,  D.D. 

5.  ACTS,  by  Prof.  J.  Vernon  Bartlet,  M.A. 

6.  ROMANS,  by  the  Rev.  A.  E.  Garvie,  M.A.,  B.D. 

7.  I  AND  II  CORINTHIANS,  by  Prof.  J. Massie,  M.A.,  D.D. 
3.  EPHESIANS,  COLOSSIANS,  PHILEMON,  PHILIP- 

PIANS,  by  the  Rev.  G.  Currie  Maktin,  M.A.,  B.D, 
9.  I  AND  II  THESSALONIANS,  GALATIANS,  by  Prof. 
W.  F.  Adeney,  M.A. 

10.  THE   PASTORAL   EPISTLES,   by  the  Rev.   R.  F. 

HORTON,  M.A.,  D.D. 

11.  HEBREWS,  by  Prof.  A.  S.  PeAKE,  M.A. 

12.  THE  GENERAL  EPISTLES,  by  Prof.W. H.  Bennett, 

M.A. 

13.  REVELATION,  by  the  Rev.  C.  Anderson    Scott, 

M.A. 


General  Editor  :  I'rof.  W.  F.  Adeney 


^■!(^m(xx^B,  Cofo00ian0 
(pPifemon,  g  (pPi%pian0 


INTRODUCTION 
AUTHORIZED  VERSION 
REVISED   VERSION    WITH    NOTES 
INDEX     AND     MAP 


M>fi'ED   BY 

G.  CURRIE  MARTIN,  M.A.,  B.D. 


NEW  YORK:  HENRY  FROWDE 

OXFORD    UNIVERSITY    PRESS,    AMERICAN    BRANCH 

EDINBURGH:   T.  C.  &  E.  C.  JACK 


The  Revised  Version  is  printed  by  permission  of  the 
Universities  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge 


"^"^    ^"^     M  E    d\   I    T    E 


TLe  Ldxiibcirgli  Geoglroptical  .ladtrtn  te 


Cop^vright    Joka  B«xl}u>loiii«<w  St  Co. 


iburgh. 


PREFATORY  NOTE 

Gratitude  is  the  word  I  wish  to  stand  first  in  this 
little  book — gratitude  for  the  opportunity  of  studying 
once  more  these  great  letters  of  the  greatest  Chris- 
tian writer,  and  for  the  privilege  of  being  allowed 
the  attempt  to  make  them  more  easily  understood  by 
others.  Whatever  success  may  attend  the  effort  is  due, 
in  the  main,  to  three  persons:  Prof.  S.  H.  Butcher, 
who  first  set  me  on  the  right  track  in  all  New  Testa- 
ment study ;  the  late  Dr.  Samuel  Newth,  by  whom 
all  his  students  were  taught  careful  methods  in  Greek 
Testament  research,  and  the  Editor  of  this  present 
series,  who  in  his  lectures  led  one  into  all  that  is  best 
in  modern  methods.  For  a  careful  reading  of  the 
manuscript  of  this  book,  and  many  valuable  hints,  I 
am  indebted  to  my  friend,  Walter  Johnston,  Esq., 
Redhill. 

As  to  the  immense  debt  one  owes  to  books,  no 
enumeration  of  names  could  repay  it,  and  all  I  shall 
attempt  here  is  to  indicate  some  of  those  works  which, 
in  my  judgement,  will  prove  of  most  value  to  English 
readers  of  these  Epistles.  As  to  lives  of  Paul,  there 
stands  first  in  vividness  and  picturesqueness  the  work 
of  Dean  Farrar ;  for  careful  and  painstaking  treat- 
ment the  classic  work  of  Conybeare  and  Howson ;  and 


vi  PREFATORY  NOTE 

amongst  the  smaller  ones  the  palm  is  easily  given  to 
that  of  Dr.  Stalker.  For  the  light  thrown  on  the 
subject  by  modern  archaeological  research,  and  for  a 
delightful  picture  of  the  times,  Prof.  Ramsay's  Sf.  Paul 
the  Traveller  and  Roma?i  Citizen  stands  supreme. 
A  valuable  contribution  is  Prof.  Findlay's  article  on 
'  St.  Paul '  in  Hastings'  Dictionary  of  the  Bible.  Of 
commentaries  on  these  Epistles  the  great  works  of 
Lightfoot  are  invaluable,  while  the  most  modem 
are  the  two  volumes  in  the  International  Critical 
series  of  Messrs.  T.  &  T.  Clark.  The  volumes  in 
the  Cambridge  Bible,  Expositor's  Bible,  and  Bible 
Class  Handbook  series  are  all  admirable.  The  articles 
in  Hastings'  Dictionary  of  the  Bible  on  the  Epistles 
herein  contained,  and  on  the  cities  mentioned,  are 
of  great  importance,  while  those  in  Smith's  Bible 
Dictionary  and  in  the  Encyclopcedia  Biblica  may  be 
consulted  with  profit.  Many  readers  will  gain  new 
insight  into  the  letters  by  reading  the  translation  of 
the  Twentieth  Century  New  Testament,  or  that  in 
Moffatt's  Historical  New  Testament.  Of  books  on  the 
thought  of  Paul  the  name  is  legion,  but  among  more 
modern  works,  that  by  Sabatier,  the  relative  portions 
of  Beyschlag's  New  Testament  Theology  \  Adeney's 
smaller  work  with  the  same  title;  Somerville's  St. 
PauVs  Conception  of  Christy  Bruce's  St.  PauPs 
Conception  of  Christianity,  and  Stevens's  The  Pauline 
Theology  are  specially  to  be  commended.  Few 
things  are  more  illuminative  than  a  careful  reading 
of  Lightfoot's  paraphrases  prefixed  to  each  section 
in  his  commentaries.  On  the  general  questions  of 
Introduction,  the  best  small  books  are  M<^Clymont's 
New  Testament  and  its  Writers  in  A.  &  C.  Black's  Guild 


PREFATORY  NOTE  vii 

Text-books;  Marcus  Dods's  volume  in  the  Theological 
Educator  series,  by  Messrs.  Hodder  &  Stoughton ; 
Bennett  &  Adeney,  A  Biblical  Introduction,  and 
Peake's  Guide  to  Biblical  Study.  Of  larger  works, 
the  volumes  by  Weiss,  Introduction  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment) Godet,  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament  \ 
Findlay,  Epistles  of  the  Apostle  Paul^  and  Hatch's 
article  in  Encyclopcedia  Britannica  are  most  worth 
consulting.  For  sidelights  on  the  whole  subject  the 
various  essays  in  Lightfoot's  and  Jowett's  Commen- 
taries \  Hort's  Prolegomena  to  Romans  and  Ephesians ; 
Renan's  St.  Paul  and  the  Apostles ;  Deissmann's 
Bible  Studies,  and  Matheson's  Spiritual  Development  of 
St.  Paul  should  be  carefully  considered.  Personally, 
I  deem  one  little  book  of  superlative  value,  F.  W.  H. 
Myers's  poetic  study,  St.  Paul.  The  other  volumes 
in  this  series  that  deal  with  the  rest  of  the  Epistles 
should  all  be  studied,  as  a  proper  knowledge  of  one 
can  only  be  obtained  through  a  knowledge  of  the 
series.  Most  markedly  in  the  case  of  Paul  the  whole 
must  be  known  in  order  to  understand  a  part 

Reigate, 
March  9,  190a. 


CONTENTS 

PACK 

Editor's  Introduction i 

Text  of  the  Authorized  Version        ....  43 

Text  of  the  Revised  Version  with  Annotations  75 

Appendices 179 

Index      ....                  189 

MAP 

Asia    Minor    and    Greece,    shewing   journeys    of 

St   Paul Facing  Title 


THE  EPISTLES  OF  PAUL  THE  APOSTLE 


TO   THE 


EPHESIANS,  COLOSSIANS 
PHILEMON,  AND  PHILIPPIANS 


INTRODUCTION 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION 


The  Epistle  as  a  Form  of  Literature. 

With   the  exception   of  personal   intimacy,   there   is 
probably  no  better  way  of  knowing  a  man's  real  character 
and  inmost  ideals  than  through  his  letters.     Conversation 
passes  away,  but  letters  abide.     The  most  perfect  letter- 
writers  are  those  who  most  closely  approximate  to  their 
own  style  of  speech.     It  is  speech  crystallized   and   re- 
fined.    There  is  a  selective  process  about  a  good  letter. 
Many  ideas   occur  to  the  mmd  of  the  writer,  but   the 
constraint  of  written   composition   and   the   lack   of  an 
answering  voice  and  questioning  presence  enable  him  to 
be  more  deliberate  and  often  more  explicit.     The  written 
word  may  lose  somewhat  in  glow,  but  it  gains  in  pre- 
cision.    It   has   not  the  sparkle  of  dialogue,  but  it  has 
more  continuity  and  conviction.     The  man  is  not  turned 
aside  so  often  from  the  thread  of  his  argument,  or  led  off 
into  side  issues.     He  can  make  clear  his  own  reasoned 
positions,  and  pour  out  his  whole  soul  on  some  one  topic 
before  he  turns  to  another.      Letter-writing   must   have 
been  one  of  the  first  uses  to  which  the  rudest  form   of 
representing  thought  by  marks  made  on  clay  or  parch- 
ment was  applied.     It  is  such  an  obvious  convenience  to 
be  able  to  send  to  a  distance  messages  that  are  reliable, 
secret,  and  fairly  permanent,  that  no  sooner  was  the  dis- 
covery made  by  one  community  than  it  became  rapidly 
widespread.     In  the  clay  tablets  of  Assyria  we  have  such 
messages  in  large  number.     These  clay  tablets  had  their 

^'^>  B   2 


4  GENERAL  INTRODUCTION 

clay  envelopes  to  protect  the  messages  inscribed  on  them  ; 
and  the  clear-cut  cuneiform  characters  are  beautifully 
preserved  to  this  day,  and  may  be  examined  by  all 
visitors  to  the  British  Museum.  Some  of  these  are  mere 
business  notes,  but  others  are  much  more  elaborate  com- 
munications, dealing  with  family  and  state  affairs  of 
much  interest  and  importance.  (Accounts,  specimens, 
and  translations  of  these  letters  are  to  be  found  in  the 
beautiful  Gtcide  to  the  Babylonian  and  Assyrian  Anti- 
quities^ published  by  the  British  Museum  Trustees;  see 
especially  pp.  56-62,  and  153-68.)  From  ancient  Egypt, 
Greece,  and  Rome  we  have  also  heritages  of  letters  of 
different  kinds  and  of  varying  degrees  of  interest,  while 
within  the  last  few  years  there  has  been  revealed  to 
us  a  wonderful  storehouse  of  incalculable  value  in  the 
Greek  Papyrus  MSS.  discovered  by  the  Egyptian  Ex- 
ploration Fund.  These  date  from  many  centuries,  but 
among  them  are  numerous  letters  contemporary  with  the 
letters  of  Paul.  They  are  familiar,  commonplace  notes, 
but  for  that  very  reason  the  more  valuable  for  purposes  of 
comparison.  I  quote  one  that  is  given  in  the  English 
translation  of  Deissmann's  Bible  Studies^  p.  23,  where 
there  is  a  most  fascinating  essay  on  this  whole  subject 
of  epistolary  literature,  which  should  be  studied  by 
every  one  who  has  any  interest  in  it.  The  letter  is  a 
note  of  recommendation  that  dates  from  about  A.  D.  25 : 
*Theon  to  his  esteemed  Tyrannus,  many  greetings. 
Herakleides,  the  bearer  of  this  letter,  is  my  brother. 
I  therefore  entreat  you  with  all  my  power  to  treat  him  as 
your  protdg^.  I  have  also  written  to  your  brother  Her- 
mias,  asking  him  to  communicate  with  you  about  him. 
You  will  confer  upon  me  a  very  great  favour  if  Herakleides 
gains  your  notice.  Before  all  else  you  have  my  good 
wishes  for  unbroken  health  and  prosperity.  Good-bye.' 
We  see  in  this  letter  the  type  of  the  familiar  communica- 
tion between  friends  at  that  date,  and  it  enables  us  to 
recognize  in  Paul's  letters  the  regular  form  of  such  com- 


INTRODUCTION  5 

munications.  The  strangeness  of  the  form  of  address  and 
conclusion,  to  our  Western  and  modern  ideas,  is  revealed 
as  not  a  peculiarity  of  biblical  or  classical  literature,  but 
the  everyday  manner  of  common  courtesy.  We  are  thus 
more  than  ever  impressed  with  the  extreme  naturalness 
of  such  a  letter  as  that  to  Philemon,  and  it  enables  us  to 
appreciate  how  thoroughly  Paul  brought  his  Christianity 
to  bear  on  the  events  of  everyday  life,  and  how  it 
moulded  thought,  speech,  and  written  word.  Thus 
quietly  was  the  revolution  brought  about  that  set  the 
seal  of  Christ  upon  the  world  of  literature. 

But  in  addition  to  these  simpler  communications  there 
had  grown  up  a  much  more  elaborate  form  of  personal 
writing,  which,  frequently  in  the  guise  of  a  personal 
letter,  had  a  much  wider  outlook.  The  writer  wrote  not 
for  his  friend  alone,  but  for  the  world.  Such  were  many 
of  the  letters  of  Cicero  and  Pliny.  With  these  we  may 
compare  the  letters  of  Paul  to  the  churches.  Their 
design  was  not  merely  for  the  moment,  but  for  all  time, 
and  for  other  audiences  than  those  to  whom  they  were 
originally  addressed.  In  the  case  of  the  Ephesian  and 
Colossian  Epistles  we  know  this  to  have  been  the  case, 
and  we  may  assume  it  in  the  others  as  well.  The  church 
has  so  regarded  them  when  receiving  them  into  the 
canon  of  Scripture,  and  Paul's  contemporaries,  as  we 
learn  from  2  Pet.  iii.  15  ^  considered  them  to  be  the 
heritage  of  Christendom. 

But  more  careful,  formal,  and  literary  still  were  the 
class  of  writings  that  were  only  epistolary  in  form,  and 
written  either  to  imaginary  correspondents,  or,  without 
any  very  definite  address,  thrown  into  the  epistolary 
mould.  In  classical  literature  we  find  letters  of  Aristotle, 
Dionysius  of  Halicarnassus,  certain  ethical  writings  of 
Plutarch  and  Seneca  of  this  character,  as  well  as  the 
poetic  epistles  of  Horace  and   Ovid.     In   our   own  day 

*  See  note  on  the  passage  in  the  volume  of  this  series.  The 
General  Epistles. 


6  GENERAL  INTRODUCTION 

such  books  as  Hamerton's  Intellectual Life^  Rogers'  Grey- 
son  Letters^  and  Anderson  Scott's  Evangelical  Doctrine^ 
Bible  Truths  are  of  this  nature.  Within  the  New  Testament 
canon  we  find  similar  instances  in  the  Epistles  of  Hebrews, 
James,  and  I  John. 

Thus  we  are  conscious  of  a  great  gain  when  we  turn  to 
a  study  of  Paul's  letters.  We  have  Christianity  brought 
near  to  us  by  the  medium  of  a  warm  and  affectionate  heart. 
If  the  discussions  are  not  so  formal  as  they  might  be  in 
reasoned  treatises,  they  are  never  lifeless  and  scholastic 

*  In  those  fallen  leaves  which  keep  their  green, 
The  noble  letters  of  the  dead,' 

the  writer  speaks  out  of  his  own  experience  to  men  and 
women  similarly  situated  with  himself,  and  never  forgets 
their  needs,  as  he  speaks  of  his  sources  of  supply.  It  is 
true,  therefore,  as  Deissmann  sees,  and  not  only  true, 
but  a  reason  for  thankfulness,  that  '  the  exegesis  of  the 
letters  of  Paul  must  take  its  special  standpoint  from  the 
nature  of  the  letter.  Its  task  is  to  reproduce  in  detail 
the  Apostle's  sayings  as  they  have  been  investigated  in 
regard  to  the  particular  historical  occasions  of  their  origin, 
as  phenomena  of  religious  psychology  ^' 

But  this  intensely  personal  note  adds  to  the  difficulties 
that  beset  the  student  as  certainly  as  it  enhances  the 
fascination  he  feels  in  his  research.  We  see  *  the  man's 
life  in  the  letters  of  the  man.'  Paul  had  such  an  intense 
temperament  that  he  was  not  easily  restrained  by  niles 
of  rhetoric  or  composition.  He  does  not  hesitate  to  coin 
words.  He  allows  his  feelings  to  run  away  with  him  so 
as  to  defy  all  grammatical  constructions,  and  leave 
sentences  unfinished.  The  thread  of  his  argument  may 
be  interrupted  by  some  sudden  thought,  or  at  the  sugges- 
tion of  a  word  he  has  used,  to  reappear  again  like  certain 
rivers,  after  being  lost  sight  of  for  a  considerable  period, 
or  may  vanish  suddenly  as  some  stream  that  leaps  into 

'  Bihle  Studies,   p.  57. 


INTRODUCTION  7 

a  subterranean  cavern  '.  '  Broken  sentences,  ellipses, 
parentheses,  leaps  in  the  argument,  allegories,  rhetorical 
figures  express  in  an  inimitable  way  all  the  moods  of  an 
active  and  cultivated  mind,  all  the  aficctions  of  a  rich 
and  deep  soul,  and  everywhere  betray  a  pen  at  once  keen 
and  yet  too  slow  for  the  thought.  Antitheses,  climaxes, 
exclamations,  questions  hold  the  attention  rapt,  and 
touching  appeals  win  the  heart  of  the  reader  ^* 

The  closest  parallel  to  the  letters  of  Paul  is  to  be  found 
in  the  letters  of  Ignatius,  seven  in  number,  consisting  of 
four  written  from  Smyrna  to  churches  which  he  had  not 
visited,  and  of  three  written  from  Troas  to  churches  and 
to  Polycarp,  who  were  personally  known  to  him.  Letters 
of  a  similar  character  are  also  found  among  the  early 
Christian  writings  attributed  to  Clement  and  Polycarp, 
and  also  the  very  beautiful  Epistle  io  Diognetus.  The 
Epistle  to  Barnabas  is  only  epistolary  in  form,  and  has 
not  the  personal  note  of  these  other  writings  ^  The 
method  of  Paul  thus  continued  throughout  the  early 
centuries  of  Christendom,  and  bequeathed  a  form  to  its 
earliest  literature. 


The  Period  of  Paul's  Life  covered  by  the 
Epistles  to  the  Ephesians  and  Colossians, 
TO  Philemon  and  to  the  Philippians. 

The  'Epistles  of  the  Captivity'  is  the  title  generally 

*  For  instances  see  below,  pp.  87,  92,  95. 

*  Reuss,  History  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  of  the  New  Testa- 
vient,  §  76.  He  gives  as  instances  of  rhetorical  vivacity,  e.  gf. 
I  Cor.  xiii.  4  ff.,  Rom.  i.  29  ff.  ;  of  antitheses,  2  Cor.  iv.  7  ;  of 
climax,  1  Cor.  xiii.  i  ff. ;  of  questions,  Rom.  vni.  31  ff..  Gal.  iii. 
I  ff. ;  of  figures  and  metaphors  .from  the  Epistles  in  this  volume), 
Phil.  iii.  12,  Eph.  ii.  ig,  iv.  13  ff.,  vi.  11  ff.,  Col.  ii.  14;  of  over- 
loading with  parentheses,  Col.  i.  9  f.,  F!ph.  i.  3  ff.,  15  ff. ;  ii.  i  ff. ; 
iii.  I  ff. 

^  These  are  best  read  by  the  English  reader  in  Lightfoot's 
Apostolic  Fathers,  the  one  volume  edition,  but  are  issued  cheaply 
in  the  Ancient  and  Modern  Library,  by  Griffith,  Farran  &  Co. 


8  GENERAL  INTRODUCTION 

given  to  the  above  group  of  Paul's  letters,  and  the  question 
arises,  To  which  captivity  are  they  to  be  assigned — the 
Apostle's  confinement  in  Caesarea  or  that  in  Rome  ?  He 
describes  himself  in  these  letters  as  a  prisoner  (see  Eph. 
iii.  I,  iv.  I,  vi.  20 ;  Col.  iv.  18  ;  Philem.  10, 13  ;  Phil.  i.  7,  13), 
but  as  one  who  had  a  good  deal  of  freedom,  both  in 
opportunities  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  in  intercourse 
with  friends.  This  agrees  better  with  the  account  given 
in  Acts  of  the  Roman  imprisonment  than  with  that  at 
Caesarea,  for  we  are  told  (Acts  xxviii.  30)  that  '  Paul 
abode  two  whole  years  in  his  own  hired  dwelling,  and 
received  all  that  went  in  unto  him,  preaching  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  teaching  the  things  concerning  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  with  all  boldness,  none  forbidding  him.'  While 
it  is  possible  that  the  phrase  '  in  the  whole  Praetorium ' 
(Phil.  i.  13  marg.)  might  refer  to  the  palace  of  Herod 
at  Caesarea,  it  is  most  likely  that  it  denotes  either  the 
whole  Pretorian  guard  of  the  imperial  city,  or  the  court 
of  justice  before  which  the  Apostle  appeared  (see  note 
on  the  verse).  Again,  it  has  been  argued  that  Cassarea 
was  nearer  to  a  runaway  slave  from  Asia  Minor.  That 
is  true,  but  Rome  was  a  much  more  likely  place  of  refuge. 
The  works  of  Juvenal  and  of  the  Latin  comedians  make 
us  familiar  with  the  city  as  the  great  haunt  of  all  escaped 
criminals  and  fugitives  from  justice.  Its  crowded  alleys 
offered  the  best  hiding-place  in  the  world.  Many  refer- 
ences in  the  letters  suggest  Rome  very  clearly.  There 
is  an  important  and  active  Christian  church,  with  which 
the  Apostle  is  in  contact  (Phil.  i.  14-17).  He  is  in  the 
midst  of  a  busy  life,  preaching  (Eph.  vi.  19,  20  ;  Phil.  i.  12), 
receiving  visitors  (Phil.  iv.  18),  dispatching  messengers 
(Eph.  vi.  21;  Col.  iv.  7-9;  Philem.  17;  Phil.  ii.  19-30), 
and  entertaining  friends  (Col.  iv.  10-14  ;  Philem.  23,  24  ; 
Phil.  iv.  21,  22).  Professor  Ramsay  is  of  opinion  that 
during  these  years  Paul's  poverty  had  somehow  changed  to 
comparative  affluence.  He  points  out  that  Felix  expected 
a  bribe  from  him,  and  no  small  sum  would  have  satisfied 


INTRODUCTION  9 

such  a  man  ;  that  the  legal  expenses  in  connexion  with 
an  appeal  to  the  emperor  were  heavy ;  that  his  hire  of 
private  apartments  in  Rome,  and  the  board  of  his  guard 
which  would  be  demanded  from  him,  all  meant  consider- 
able outlay.  Nor  does  he  think  Paul  was  likely  to  use 
contributions  from  the  churches  for  such  purposes,  so 
that  he  had  probably  fallen  heir  to  some  private  means 
either  through  death  or  through  reconciliation  with  his 
friends  ^  The  point  is  an  interesting  one,  and  Ramsay 
does  not  think  that  the  gift  sent  by  the  Philippians  to 
the  Apostle  militates  against  his  view.  '  It  is  plain,'  he 
says  ^  *  that  he  did  not  actually  need  the  help  that  they 
now  sent ;  but  his  gratitude  is  as  warm  and  genuine  as 
if  he  had  been  in  deep  need,  and  he  recurs  to  the  former 
occasions  when  his  real  poverty  had  been  aided  by  them.' 
The  order  of  the  four  letters  is  not  easy  to  settle. 
Clearly  the  three  written  to  churches  in  the  Lycus  valley 
are  almost  contemporaneous.  They  are  entrusted  to  the 
same  messenger,  they  deal  with  the  same  problems,  they 
refer  to  the  same  persons,  and  the  one  letter  bears  reference 
to  the  other,  but  the  difficulty  arises  with  regard  to  the 
Philippian  letter.  Does  it  precede  or  follow  the  others  ? 
The  majority  of  writers  have  placed  it  first  in  the  group, 
and  at  a  considerable  interval  before  the  others,  but 
several  recent  scholars  have  shewn  reasons  for  its  being 
regarded  as  the  latest  of  the  series,  and  written  on  the 
eve  of  his  trial.  This  view  is  advocated  by  Ramsay, 
Gwynn,  Gibb,  and  others  among  English  scholars,  and 
there  is  much  to  favour  it.  In  Phil.  ii.  20  we  find  him 
speaking  of  his  comparative  desertion — there  being  no 
one  with  him,  save  Timothy,  of  a  sympathetic  temper. 
But  the  other  letters  contain  greetings  from  his  greatest 
friends  and  most  trusted  followers.  Several  of  these  may 
have  been  sent  on  missions  to  different  churches ;  and 
surely  Luke  was  absent  when  the  trial  reached  its  final 

^  St.  Paul  the  Traveller,  p.  310  ff.        '  ibid.,  p.  357  ff. 


lo  GENERAL  INTRODUCTION 

stage,  or  some  mention  of  it  would  have  been  made  in 
Acts '.  Those  who  claim  an  earlier  date  for  Philippians 
rely  largely  on  internal  evidence  of  its  similarity  in  thought 
with  the  Epistles  of  an  earlier  date,  rather  than  with 
the  more  elaborate  discussions  on  the  church  and  the 
person  of  Christ  which  fill  the  Ephesians  and  Colossians. 
But  may  not  the  different  circumstances  of  the  churches 
account  for  this?  Why  should  we  demand  that  the 
Apostle  should  shew  the  same  trend  of  thought  in  the 
Philippian  letter  as  in  the  others,  if  there  was  no  need 
for  it  ?  The  letter  to  Philemon,  every  one  agrees,  is 
associated  closely  with  the  other  two  just  named,  and 
yet  there  is  no  trace  in  it  of  the  discussions  they  contain, 
because  its  subject-matter  does  not  demand  it.  Exactly. 
And  Paul  was  a  sufficient  master  of  language  to  vary  his 
style.  As  Jiilicher  says  in  another  connexion,  '  Paul  was 
a  man  ;  and  he  had  a  right  to  give  expression  in  his 
letters  to  his  passing  moods.'  I  incline  to  place  the 
Philippian  letter  last  in  this  series. 

The  dates  within  which  they  must  all  have  been 
written,  if  they  were  composed  in  Rome,  are  A.  D.  61-63, 
according  to  the  most  generally  accepted  chronology, 
though  Harnack  would  place  the  Roman  imprisonment 
as  early  as  57-59. 

All  the  letters  that  belong  to  this  period  of  the  Apostle's 
career  are  marked  by  a  tenderness  of  personal  feeling 
and  a  warmth  of  intimate  regard.  There  is  a  freedom 
from  the  more  bitter  controversy  of  an  earlier  time,  and 
from  the  need  to  rebuke  vicious  excesses.  The  sterner 
tone  occurs  rather  through  warning  than  through  reproof. 
There  is  no  more  beautiful  letter  than  that  to  the  Philip- 
pians, and  no  profounder  or  more  highly  sustained  passages 
than  some  in  the  Ephesians  and  Colossians,  while  the 
unique  features  of  the  letter  to  Philemon  make  it  a 
priceless  gem.    They  are  marked,  says  Professor  Findlay, 


^  See  in  addition  note  on  Phil.  i.  i  as  confirmation  of  a  later  date. 


INTRODUCTION  ii 

by  a  *more  uniform  tenderness,  a  richer  fragrance  of 
devotion,  and  a  quiet  insight  that  reaches  to  the  depths 
of  the  things  of  life  and  of  God.  .  .  .  These  are  well  styled 
the  afternoon  Epistles,  as  the  writings  of  the  Judaic 
controversy  are  the  noonday  Epistles  of  Paul  \' 

The  Churches  of  the  Lvcus  Valley. 

It  has  often  been  pointed  out  how  great  a  factor  in 
the  spread  of  Christianity  were  the  famous  roads  that 
intersected  the  Roman  Empire.  These  foiTned  the  great 
trade-routes,  and  so  became  the  natural  highways  for 
all  travellers.  Professor  Ramsay  has  made  a  fascinat- 
ing study  of  Paul's  use  of  them,  and  every  reader  of 
the  New  Testament  is  indebted  to  him  for  the  light 
he  has  thrown  on  the  whole  subject.  One  of  these 
great  roads,  as  it  neared  the  western  coast  of  Asia 
Minor,  struck  the  valley  of  the  Lycus  near  Apamea, 
and  led  thence  by  Colossal,  Laodicea,  and  Hierapolis, 
down  the  Mieander  valley  to  Ephesus.  The  latter  city 
lay  really  on  the  short  river  Cayster,  which  was  suited 
for  navigation.  In  early  days  Miletus,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Maiander,  was  the  important  seaport ;  but  in  later 
times,  owing  to  the  silting  up  of  the  mouth  of  the  latter 
river,  and  the  growing  influence  of  Ephesus,  it  became 
the  natural  terminus  to  this  great  trade-route.  A  low 
and  easily  traversed  road  led  from  the  Lycus  valley  to  the 
city;  and  as  this  route  was  much  shorter  than  that  which 
followed  the  windings  of  the  Masander,  it  became  the 
popular  and  dominant  one.  In  modern  times  the  coast- 
line seems  to  have  altered  greatly  from  its  contour  in 
the  days  of  Paul,  and  the  sea  has  been  driven  further 
and  further  back.  Paul's  messenger  from  Miletus  to 
Ephesus  probably  sailed  across  the  gulf,  that  there 
penetrated  far  eastwards  from  the  seaport,  to  Priene, 
whence  a  land  journey  of  about  twenty-five  miles  would 

*  Hastings'  Dictionary,  art.  *  Paul  the  Apostle/ vol.  iil.  p.  713. 


12  GENERAL  INTRODUCTION 

bring  him  to  Ephesus.  At  that  time,  therefore,  both 
seaports  were  important,  though  for  trade  purposes  the 
larger  city  had  far  outstripped  its  rival. 

Let  us  now  take  this  group  of  cities  in  the  order  in 
which  an  imaginary  traveller  from  the  east  would  reach 
them  if  he  followed  the  trade-route,  and  learn  what 
connexion  each  has  with  Paul  and  with  the  growth  of 
early  Christianity. 

Colossas  lay  on  the  upper  reaches  of  the  Lycus,  and 
was  situated  on  high  ground  that  overhung  the  river. 
In  early  days  it  surpassed  its  near  neighbour,  Laodicea, 
but  at  a  later  date  its  glory  waned,  as  that  of  the  latter  city 
increased.  The  district  was  one  exposed  to  exceptional 
natural  forces.  In  the  first  place  it  was  extremely  volcanic 
and  subject  to  earthquakes,  which  on  more  than  one 
occasion  caused  great  devastation  to  this  particular  group  of 
cities.  On  the  other  hand,  the  streams  carry  down  great 
deposits  of  lime,  which,  being  left  by  the  receding  waters, 
cover  the  fields  and  hillsides,  build  up  curious  grottoes, 
and  change  in  time  the  whole  face  of  the  landscape. 
But  the  valley  is  a  very  fertile  one,  and  in  the  days  of  the 
Roman  Empire  the  flocks  reared  there  formed  the  great 
source  of  revenue.  Their  wool  was  of  peculiarly  fine 
texture,  and  in  the  case  of  those  round  Laodicea  of 
a  rich  glossy  black.  The  guilds  of  dyers  were  numerous 
and  famous,  and  from  Colossae  came  a  special  dye  of 
some  distinct  purple  shade,  which  was  eagerly  sought 
after  and  commanded  a  high  price.  In  this  city 
Christianity  was  introduced,  or  at  least  the  first  Chris- 
tian church  founded,  apparently  by  Epaphras  and 
Timothy  during  the  time  of  Paul's  lengthy  residence  in 
Ephesus.  The  former  (Col.  iv.  12,  13),  an  inhabitant 
of  the  city,  seems  to  have  been  its  most  active  missioner, 
and  Timothy  (Col.  i.  i)  no  doubt  visited  it  at  his  re- 
quest, and  had  a  deep  personal  interest  in  the  progress 
of  the  church. 

Laodicea,  distant  about  eleven  miles  from  Colossae,  was 


INTRODUCTION  13 

founded  about  the  middle  of  the  third  century  B.C.,  and 
named  after  the  queen  of  Antiochus  II.  The  situation 
was  a  very  picturesque  one,  with  great  towering  moun- 
tains rising  to  the  south  of  it.  In  the  days  immediately 
preceding  the  Christian  era  a  large  Jewish  community 
settled  in  the  city,  and  laws  were  passed  restricting  the 
amount  of  money  sent  by  them  out  of  the  country,  so 
important  a  factor  had  they  become  in  its  commercial 
interests.  From  the  references  in  Col.  i.  7  it  is  supposed 
that  Epaphras,  Timothy,  and  Mark  were  the  first  Chris- 
tian preachers  in  the  city,  and  tradition  speaks  of  the 
Apostles  Philip  and  John  as  being  later  visitors  to  its 
church.  The  Epistle  addressed  to  the  church  in  the 
Book  of  Revelation  contains  references  which  have 
been  regarded  as  throwing  light  on  incidents  in  the 
civic  life  of  Laodicea.  In  A.  D.  60  it  was  destroyed  by 
an  earthquake,  but  refused  to  avail  itself  of  Imperial  aid, 
a  spirit  reflected  in  the  boast  '  I  am  rich,  and  have  gotten 
riches,  and  have  need  of  nothing'  (Rev.  iii.  17).  Its 
famous  wool  gave  rise  to  a  trade  of  immense  importance, 
and  the  garments  spun  from  it  were  much  sought  after ; 
and  owing  to  this  traffic  the  bankers  of  the  city  were 
a  very  wealthy  and  trusted  class,  to  which  facts  a 
reference  has  been  founded  in  the  words  :  *  I  counsel  thee 
to  buy  of  me  gold  refined  in  the  fire  (not  that  of  the 
bankers),  and  white  garments  (not  those  in  which  you 
pride  yourselves).*  Once  more,  there  was  obtainable  in 
the  neighbourhood  a  reputed  cure  for  weak  eyes,  called 
'  Phrygian  Powder,'  so  that  a  special  point  would  appear 
to  the  readers  in  the  words :  *  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of 
me  .  .  .  eye-salve  to  anomt  thine  eyes  that  thou  mayest 
see'  (Rev.  iii.  18).  Paul  had  never  visited  this  city 
either,  but  had  written  a  letter  to  the  church  there, 
and  his  letter  to  Colossas  was  directed  to  be  read 
in  their  assembly  (see  Col.  iv.  16  and  note). 

About  six  miles  north  of  Laodicea  stood  Hierapolis. 
Its  name  most   probably  denotes  the  *  Holy  City,'  and 


14  GENERAL  INTRODUCTION 

was  most  likely  derived  from  the  medicinal  springs  in  its 
neighbourhood,  which  were  looked  on  as  a  gift  of  the 
gods.  There  was  consequently  in  this  city  a  great 
force  of  heathen  superstition,  so  that  it  presented  a  fine 
sphere  of  activity  for  the  Christian  evangelists,  who  no 
doubt  began  the  work  there  at  the  same  time  as  in  the 
neighbouring  places.  It  is  only  once  named  in  the  New 
Testament  (Col.  iv.  13),  and  that  in  connexion  with 
the  ministry  of  Epaphras,  who  seems  to  have  been 
most  zealous  in  his  efforts  in  all  these  communities. 
'  Well-attested  tradition '  connects  closely  with  the 
city  the  name  of  Philip  the  Apostle,  and  fixes  upon 
it  as  the  place  of  his  burial. 

When  we  reach  Ephesus  we  come  to  the  metropolis 
of  the  Roman  province  of  Asia,  and  one  of  the  chief 
cities  of  the  Eastern  Mediterranean  seaboard.  It  was  on 
the  main  routes  either  by  sea  or  land  from  Rome  to 
the  East,  and  the  frequent  landing-place  of  government 
officials.  As  has  been  already  stated,  it  was  also  a  great 
trade  centre,  and  in  addition  had  an  immense  religious 
importance  as  Warden  of  the  temple  of  Artemis.  For 
all  these  reasons  there  was  no  more  suitable  place  for 
Paul  to  fix  upon  as  the  head  quarters  of  an  extended 
missionary  enterprise.  The  first  occasion  on  which  we 
read  of  Paul's  visiting  the  city  is  in  Acts  xviii.  19,  where 
he  left  behind  him  Aquila  and  Priscilla,  who,  aided  by 
Apollos,  carried  on  the  work  with  great  efficiency  during 
his  absence.  In  the  nineteenth  chapter  we  read  of 
Paul's  return  to  the  city,  and  the  incidents  connected 
with  his  lengthened  stay  of  about  two  years.  During 
that  time,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  the  churches  in  the 
Lycus  valley  were  formed,  and  those  others  of  which 
the  most  important  are  among  the  seven  churches  to 
which  the  epistles  contained  in  the  Book  of  Revelation 
are  addressed. 

Paul  during  his  residence  was   brought   into  contact 
with   two    great    parties    in   the   city — the  conservative 


INTRODUCTION  15 

or  religious  order,  who  dung  to  the  temple  and  all  its 
cult,  whose  vested  interests  were  knit  up  with  its  wor- 
ship, and  whose  superstition  led  them  to  dread  its  over- 
throw ;  and  the  progressive  or  government  class,  who 
were  much  more  concerned  for  the  good  order  and 
honourable  reputation  of  the  city  in  the  eyes  of  the 
emperor  than  they  were  about  any  varieties  in  forms  of 
religion.  It  was  the  conflict  of  these  two  classes  that 
brought  about  the  dramatic  scene  described  so  vividly 
in  the  nineteenth  chapter  of  Acts.  The  temple  was  the 
great  architectural  feature  of  the  city,  and  some  frag- 
ments of  its  magnificent  sculptured  columns  may  be  seen 
in  the  British  Museum,  from  which  a  little  idea  of  its 
glory  may  be  gathered.  It  has  been  suggested  that  the 
splendour  of  the  great  building  gave  rise  to  Paul's  allegory 
in  the  third  chapter  of  i  Corinthians,  which  was  written  in 
Ephesus,  and  also  to  the  language  employed  in  Ephesians 
ii.  20-22. 

The  Apostle's  regular  teaching  in  the  city  must  have 
attracted  many  hearers,  and  so  an  opportunity  was 
given  for  many  in  the  surrounding  districts  not  only 
receiving  the  gospel,  but  understanding  thoroughly 
its  doctrines,  thus  making  them  strong  and  intellectual 
Christians.  Paul  seems  to  have  worked  at  his  trade 
from  sunrise  till  eleven  o'clock  in  the  forenoon.  At  the 
latter  hour  public  business  in  the  Asiatic  cities  seems  to 
have  ceased,  and  thus  the  building  known  as  '  the 
school  of  Tyrannus '  (Acts  xix.  9)  would  be  at  liberty. 
*  Here  the  Apostle,'  as  one  New  Testament  MS.  informs 
us,  'was  in  the  habit  of  lecturing  and  discussing  until 
four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  ^.' 

When  Paul  left  Ephesus  after  the  riot,  it  does  not 
appear  that  he  returned  to  it  again.  Timothy  seems 
to   have   been   left    in    charge    of  the   churches   in   the 


*  See  Ramsay,  Expositor,    1S92,  p.    223;    and  St.  Paul  the 
Traveller,  p.  271. 


i6  GENERAL  INTRODUCTION 

district,  and  Mark,  who  was  known  to  the  Christians  of 
the  neighbourhood  (Col.  iv.  lo),  was  associated  with  him. 
At  a  later  date  John  the  Apostle  settled  in  Ephesus, 
and  spent  there  the  beautiful  evening  of  his  long  life, 
so  that  the  church  of  that  city  was  favoured  by  the 
presence  in  its  midst  of  tlie  two  greatest  personalities  of 
the  apostolic  group. 


THE 

EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS 

To  Whom  Addressed? 

Of  all  the  letters  attributed  to  Paul,  this  is  the  only 
one  about  which  we  are  in  uncertainty  as  to  whether  the 
traditional  destination  be  the  correct  one.  The  words  (i.  i) 
'at  Ephesus'  do  not  appear  in  two  of  the  oldest  MSS., 
while  in  another  of  much  later  date  they  are  marked  as 
an  interpolation.  Tertullian,  arguing  in  the  second 
century  for  the  fact  that  the  letter  was  addressed  to  the 
church  at  Ephesus,  makes  no  appeal  to  the  salutation, 
which  was  obviously  his  strong  point  had  he  been  sure 
of  it ;  and  writers  of  the  fourth  century  tell  us  the  words 
are  of  doubtful  authority  and  are  missing  in  the  oldest 
MSS.  known  to  them,  while  the  verse  is  frequently  inter- 
preted by  those  writers  as  if  the  words  were  wanting.  The 
title  *  to  the  Ephesians  '  is  present  in  all  MSS.  and  versions 
we  possess,  but  Tertullian  tells  us  that  another  title  was 
known,  viz.  *  to  the  Lacedaemonians, '  and  though  we 
cannot  lay  much  stress  on  the  evidence,  it  is  at  least 
probable  that  such  was  its  original  destination. 

It  has  always  been  felt  to  be  a  difficulty,  if  this  letter 
was  sent  only  to  the  church  at  Ephesus,  that  Paul  should 
not,  in  accordance  with  his  custom  in  other  cases,  have 
much  more  direct  and  personal  references  to  the  affairs 
of  a  community  to  which  he  was  so  well  known,  and 
should  once  and  again  speak  of  their  having  '  heard  * 
about  his  work,  and  of  his  having   *  heard '  about  their 

(8)  C 


i8  EPHESIANS 

faith  *.  We  are  not  bound,  however,  to  pass  at  one  leap 
to  the  opposite  extreme,  and  because  we  cannot  fix  the 
letter  to  the  church  at  Ephesus  alone,  declare  it  to  be 
a  general  epistle  to  all  Gentile  Christians.  Much  more 
likely  is  it  to  be  a  circular  letter  sent  to  a  small  group  of 
churches,  and  probably  to  those  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Ephesus,  viz.  the  churches  at  the  metropolitan  city  itself, 
at  Colossae,  Hierapolis,  and  Laodicea,  though  it  may 
have  gone  further  afield  to  some  of  the  other  churches  in 
the  district  of  Asia.  It  may  thus,  somewhat  safely,  be 
identified  with  the  letter  referred  to  in  Qol.  iv.  i6.  If 
this  conclusion  is  correct,  the  omission  of  the  words  in 
the  salutation  as  well  as  their  insertion  can  be  satisfac- 
torily accounted  for.  The  destination  of  each  letter 
would  be  marked  in  the  copy  sent  to  each  particular 
church  ;  and  inasmuch  as  Ephesus  was  the  most  important 
one,  and  became  growingly  so,  not  only  from  the  position 
of  the  city,  but  from  the  connexion  of  the  church  with 
Timothy  and  John,  it  is  easy  to  conceive  how  the  Ephe- 
sian  MS.  would  become  the  natural  prototype  of  others, 
and  that  thus  the  words  inserted  in  its  copy  would  be 
generally  accepted  as  the  only  correct  text. 

Authenticity. 

Paul's  authorship  of  this  Epistle  has  been  considerably 
questioned  by  many  competent  scholars,  and  even  by 
those  who  have  been  ready  to  acknowledge  as  his  the 
great  majority  of  the  letters  attributed  to  him.  The 
question  is  not  an  easy  one  to  settle,  and  needs  some- 
what careful  examination.  We  must  not  say  that  the 
occurrence  of  Paul's  name  at  the  outset  settles  the 
matter,  because  it  was  no  uncommon  literary  method  to 
write  under  an  assumed  name,  only  the  onus  of  proof  lies 
with  those  wlio  assert  it  to  be  assumed.  The  whole  tenor 
of  the  letter  is  purely  Pauline.     His   favourite   methods 

^  See  i.  15,  iii.  2,  iv.  21. 


INTRODUCTION  19 

are  employed — the  thanksgiving,  the  personal  commenda- 
tions, the  basing  of  moral  teaching  upon  doctrinal  truth — 
the  mental  and  spiritual  attitude  are  all  his ;  but  that, 
of  course,  might  be  due  to  the  skilful  imitator.  While  the 
language  is  confessedly  Pauline  in  the  main,  it  is  asserted 
that  such  a  phrase  as  '  his  holy  apostles '  (iii.  5)  would 
not  have  been  used  by  him.  It  must  be  admitted  that 
the  expression  sounds  more  like  that  of  a  later  age ;  but 
not  only  is  the  text  a  little  uncertain,  but  the  meaning  is 
clearly  that  of  laying  stress  on  the  revelation  made  to 
them  rather  than  on  the  peculiarly  sacred  character  of 
the  office.  Other  v^^ords,  such  as  *ages,'  'dominion,' 
'power,'  'authority,*  'fulness,*  which  became  the  tech- 
nical terms  of  the  heresies  of  a  later  age,  it  is  easily  seen 
are  not  so  used  in  this  Epistle,  and  cannot  therefore  be 
taken  as  proofs  of  its  later  date,  and  as  emanating  from 
another  hand. 

Another  line  of  argument  is  that  which  sees  in  the 
Epistle  an  advance  on  the  ideas  of  the  unquestioned 
writings  of  Paul.  The  doctrine  of  the  church,  it  is  said,  is 
more  elaborated.  But  why  not  ?  The  real  question  is : 
Do  we  find  anything  at  variance  with  his  earlier  teaching? 
Has  not  all  he  has  to  say  about  the  greatness  of  the 
church  and  its  continuity,  about  its  being  the  body  of 
Christ  and  the  organ  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  been  already 
implied  in  Romans  and  i  Corinthians  ?  His  stress  laid 
upon  the  advantages  accruing  to  his  fellow  country- 
men has  been  anticipated  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  ^ 
As  Hort  has  pointed  out,  the  coincidences  (all  the  more 
strong  that  they  are  undesigned)  between  the  Romans 
and  this  Epistle  are  among  the  strongest  arguments  for  its 
being  the  work  of  Paul. 

Again,  we  are  told  that  Paul's  exaltation  of  the  mar- 
ried life  in  this  Epistle  is  inconsistent  with  his  attitude  in 

^  For  a  succinct  account  of  these  see  Lock's  art.  on '  Ephesians  ' 
in  Hastings'  Dicticnary  of  the  Bible,  i.  717. 

C    2 


20  EPHESIANS 

I  Corinthians.  There,  however,  he  is  addressing  himself 
to  special  circumstances,  and  room  may  be  found  for 
advancing  thought  in  view  of  a  wider  experience  and 
a  clearer  reading  of  the  divine  purpose  in  the  history  of 
the  church.  Paul  no  doubt  sees  now  more  clearly  than 
ever  that  *  the  end  is  not  yet,'  and  has  to  fit  his  teaching 
more  and  more  to  the  permanent  institutions  of  Christian 
society  and  of  the  church. 

The  close  relation  of  this  Epistle  to  the  '  Colossians' 
complicates,  while  it  also  simpHfies,  the  problem  ^  The 
connexion  between  the  two  is  seen  by  the  most  casual 
reader  to  be  very  close,  but  the  differences  are  no  less 
marked.  Any  such  artificial  theory  as  that  of  Holtzmann 
fails  from  its  very  ingenuity.  He  holds  that  Paul  first 
wrote  a  short  letter  to  the  church  at  Colossae — that  this 
was  made  the  basis  of  the  Ephesian  letter  by  some  later 
writer,  and  that  finally  our  present  Colossian  letter  was 
compiled  from  the  two  former.  The  most  natural  ex- 
planation is  the  best.  Paul  composed  the  two  letters  at 
the  same  period,  dealing  in  each  with  the  special  circum- 
stances and  problems  that  each  community  presented. 

There  are  two  other  writings  in  the  New  Testament 
with  which  this  Epistle  affords  close  parallels  :  the  one  is 
the  Gospel  of  John,  and  the  other  the  First  Epistle  of 
Peter.  The  Fourth  Gospel  has  many  points  of  contact,  e.  g. 
in  the  doctrine  of  the  Word,  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  feud 
between  light  and  darkness,  the  *  fulness  '  of  God  in  Christ, 
and  notably  the  prayer  of  our  Lord  in  the  seventeenth 
chapter,  *  where  almost  every  verse  offers  a  parallel  ^  to 
this  Epistle.'  In  the  case  of  i  Peter  the  similarities  are 
both  close  and  numerous,  but  are  shewn,  as  Dr.  Hort  says, 
'  more  by  identities  of  thought  and  similarity  in  the 
structure  of  the  two  Epistles  as  wholes  than  by  identities 
of  phrase  ^.'      References   will   be  found   in   the    notes, 

^  See  Appendix  B,  p.  i8i. 

^  Lock,  antcy  p.  716,  where  the  parallels  are  worked  out. 

^  Hort's  First  Epistle  of  St.  Peter,  p.  5. 


INTRODUCTION  21 

pointing  to  the  similarities  in  thought,  as  they  occur. 
Were  we  only  certain  of  the  dates  of  these  writings,  it 
would  greatly  aid  us  in  finding  an  additional  argument 
for  the  authenticity  of  this  Epistle,  but  there  are  no  tw6 
writings  whose  date  is  more  of  a  vexed  question  than 
those  referred  to.  It  seems  to  the  present  writer  a 
certainty  that  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  is  the  earliest 
of  the  three,  but,  as  Mr.  Lock  points  out,  Paul  is  very 
likely  to  have  heard  about  our  Lord's  great  prayer  from 
the  lips  of  John,  and  such  thoughts  must  have  deeply 
influenced  him  when  writing  upon  kindred  subjects. 
If  I  Peter  is  indeed  the  work  of  that  Apostle,  similar 
fellowship  may  readily  account  for  community  of  ideas. 

Before  the  middle  of  the  second  century  the  Epistle 
was  quite  established  as  part  of  the  sacred  Scriptures, 
and  quite  half  a  century  earlier  traces  of  it  are  found  in 
the  language  of  Christian  writers.  '  It  is  all  but  certain,' 
says  Hort,  'that  the  Epistle  was  in  existence  by  A.  D.  95, 
quite  certain  that  it  was  in  existence  by  about  fifteen 
years  later,  or  conceivably  a  little  more  ^.' 

There  is  no  valid  reason,  however,  against  its  being 
earlier  than  even  this,  and  it  has  been  pointed  out  that 
the  absence  of  any  reference  to  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  favours  its  being  written  prior  to  A.  D.  70. 
The  condition  of  the  church,  the  recent  calling  out  of 
its  members  from  heathenism,  the  limits  of  conflict 
between  the  Jewish  and  Gentile  elements  within  it — all 
tend  to  favour  the  earlier  date  that  falls  within  the  first 
period  of  Paul's  Roman  imprisonment. 


Its  Purpose  and  Characteristics. 

The  dominant  note  of  the  Epistle  may  be  said  to  be 
struck  in  the  recurrent  expression,  '  in  Christ.'  It  is  the 
vital  union  with  him  that  secures  the  richest  blessings  to 

^  Prolegomejia,  p.  ii8. 


22  EPHESIANS 

the  individual  Christian  and  to  the  church.  The  words 
that  denote  '  fellowship '  are  frequent  and  full  of  signi- 
ficance. Christians  are  '  quickened  with  Christ '  (ii.  5), 
*  sit  with  Christ '  (ii.  6),  '  are  raised  with  Christ '  (ii.  6), 
are  '  fellow-heirs,'  '  fellow-members,'  '  fellow-partakers ' 
of  his  promises.  On  these  thoughts  are  built  the  system 
of  Christian  ethics  that  the  Epistle  contains.  The  life  to 
which  Christ's  disciples  are  called  is  rich  and  glorious, 
because  he  is  to  live  again  in  them.  The  body  of  Christ 
is  to  be  his  church,  and  this  must  be  a  holy  and  undefiled 
body,  by  which  his  highest  nature  of  love,  peace,  and 
purity  is  to  be  presented  to  the  world. 

It  appears  as  if  the  immediate  cause  of  his  writing  the 
Epistle  was  the  messages  that  had  reached  him  about 
the  dangers  that  beset  the  churches  of  Ephesus  and  its 
neighbourhood.  They  were  inclined  to  be  down-hearted 
because  of  his  absence  and  imprisonment,  and  there  was 
a  tendency  to  lapse  into  indifferentism.  Hort  points  out 
that  the  emphasis  on  the  *ye'  in  chap.  iii.  13  is  one  of 
encouragement ;  '  that  you  in  the  recesses  of  provincial 
Asia,  as  well  as  the  brethren  in  Rome,  may  know  how  my 
present  trial  is  advancing  the  cause  of  Christ '  is  the 
thought  in  the  Apostle's  mind.  They  have  to  take  part 
in  the  same  conflict  as  he  is  called  to  engage  in,  so  that 
there  is  need  for  their  buckling  on  the  spiritual  armour 
and  proving  themselves  good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  Epistle  reaches  the  greatest  heights  of  eloquence  ; 
indeed,  its  language  is  often  so  rapt  and  rhythmic  as 
almost  to  pass  over  into  that  of  poetry,  so  much  so  that, 
as  one  points  out,  certain  passages  seem  like  parts  of 
those  songs  and  hymns  in  which  the  members  of  the 
church  are  directed  to  teach  and  admonish  one  another  ^. 
Coleridge  declared  this  letter  to  be  'one  of  the  divinest 
compositions  of  man,'  and  in  this  judgement  all  who  read 
it    carefully    will   doubtless   concur.     It   is   beautiful   in 

^  Von  Soden's  Commentary. 


INTRODUCTION  23 

expression,  but  more  beautiful  in  thought,  carrying  us 
to  the  highest  pinnacles  of  Christian  speculation  with 
a  daring  that  is  matched  only  by  its  reverence  and 
humility,  and  wins  our  allegiance  by  its  perfect  reason- 
ableness. Its  language  and  imagery  have  passed  into  the 
richest  treasures  of  the  church,  and  on  them  have  been 
founded  her  finest  hymns  and  most  immortal  allegories — 
from  the  glorious  songs  of  Prudentius  and  Bernard  to 
'  The  Church's  one  Foundation  '  of  our  own  day  ;  and  the 
quaint  homilies  of  the  Middle  Ages,  no  less  than  the 
marvellous  works  of  the  Puritan  Bunyan,  owe  their  sug- 
gestion to  the  picture  of  the  Christian  warrior. 


CONTENTS  OF  THE  EPISTLE 

i.  1,  2.     Opening  salutation  and  benediction. 

i.  3-14.     Thanksgiving  and  enumeration  of  spiritual  gifts 

obtained  in  Christ  through  the  Holy  Spirit. 
i.  15-23.     Thanksgiving  and  prayer  for  Ephesian  church. 
ii.  1-10.     The  effect  of  Christ  in  the  heart. 
ii.  11-22.     Christ's   opening  of   God's   covenant    to   the 

Gentiles. 
iii.  1-13.     Paul — the  missionary  to  the  Gentiles. 
iii.  14-19.      Paul's    prayer   for   the   church's    growth   in 

knowledge. 
iii.  20.     Doxology. 

iv.  1-16.     The  church  the  body  of  Christ. 
iv.  17-32.     The  old  exchanged  for  the  new. 
V.  1-14.     Imitatio  Dei. 
V.  15-21.     The  thankful  spirit. 
V.  22-33.     Husbands  and  wives. 
vi.  1-4.     Parents  and  children. 
vi.  5-9.     Masters  and  servants. 
vi.  10-17.     The  Christian  armour, 
vi.  18-20.     Exhortation  to  prayer. 
vi.  21,  22.     Commendation  of  Tychicus. 
vi.  23,  24.     Closing  benediction. 


THE 

EPISTLE  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS 

Its  Authenticity. 

The  problems  connected  with  the  Epistle  to  the 
Colossians  are  so  closely  knit  up  with  those  relating 
to  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  that  much  that  was  said 
about  the  latter  work  applies  in  this  case  also.  The 
external  witness  to  the  Colossian  is  quite  as  strong  as 
that  for  the  Ephesian  letter,  but  not  so  frequent.  This 
may  be  owing  to  its  more  controversial  character,  and 
therefore  more  partial  applicability  to  the  needs  of  the 
Catholic  church.  It  was  only  in  the  early  part  of  the 
nineteenth  century  that  its  genuineness  was  called  into 
question,  and  that  mainly  on  grounds  of  peculiarity  of 
language  and  of  thought.  These  are  largely  answered  by 
the  consideration  that  Paul  is  dealing  with  new  subjects, 
and  that  a  traveller's  vocabulary  is  largely  coloured  by 
the  society  in  which  he  moves,  and  the  widening  range 
that  fresh  circles  of  society  bring  to  bear  upon  it.  The 
Epistle  is  so  closely  bound  up  with  that  to  Philemon, 
that  the  genuineness  of  the  one  almost  necessarily  carries 
with  it  the  genuineness  of  the  other.  So  strongly  has 
this  been  felt  that  Baur  was  compelled  to  reject  both, 
a  result  that  surely  proves  the  extravagance  and  unreli- 
ability of  his  methods,  for  no  one  who  appreciates  Paul 
can  question  that  the  letter  to  Philemon  is  the  work  of  his 
hand.    Some  who  refuse  to  recognize  Ephesians  as  Paul's 


INTRODUCTION  25 

are  yet  quite  convinced  that  Colossians  is  rightly  attributed 
to  his  authorship. 


Its  Purpose  and  Characteristics. 

Though  the  letter  has  so  close  a  resemblance  to  that 
known  as  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  its  differences 
are  no  less  clearly  marked.  The  note  of  controversy  is 
dominant.  The  writer  has  to  enter  the  lists  against 
adversaries,  and  stimulate  his  readers  for  a  struggle.  He 
has  been  informed  of  pressing  dangers  that  beset  the 
church,  and  he  has  not  only  to  warn  but  to  arm  its 
members  against  the  insidious  foes  of  spiritual  pride, 
asceticism,  and  the  advocacy  of  angels.  This  mysticism 
has  its  affiliation  on  the  one  side  with  Jewish  Essenism 
(a  sect  whose  practices  were  strictly  ascetic,  and  who 
lived  in  separate  communities),  and  on  the  other  with  the 
wild  orgiastic  religions  of  Phrygia.  That  district  had  long 
been  the  home  of  some  of  the  most  extraordinary  forms 
of  heathen  superstition  ;  and  the  people  seemed  imbued 
with  the  taste  for  excitement  and  mystery,  which  was 
partly  the  outcome  of  temperament,  and  partly  of  centuries 
of  association.  The  natural  phenomena  of  the  district — its 
sulphur  springs,  volcanic  disturbances,  earthquakes,  and 
other  features,  aided  these  feelings,  and  made  it  the  home 
of  such  extravagances.  The  task  the  writer  sets  himself 
is  to  shew  how  Christ  stands  head  and  source  of  all 
nature,  as  he  shews  in  the  Ephesians  that  he  is  head 
and  life  of  the  church.  There  can,  therefore,  be  no  other 
powers  of  mediation  possible,  for  Christ  is  the  one 
Mediator,  and  has  control  over  all  the  forces  of  the 
universe — none  of  them  can  work  outside  the  limits  of 
his  authority.  No  discipline  of  the  flesh  or  long  initiation 
of  the  intellect  could  effect  a  deliverance  from  evil,  but 
only  union  with  that  Christ  who  had  destroyed  sin  and 
all  its  dread  entail  upon  the  cross.  It  might  seem,  at 
first,  as  if  the  teachers  who  were  pressing  their  claims 


26  COLOSSIANS 

upon  the  Colossians  were  more  profound  than  those 
simpler  men  who  had  brought  them  the  message  of  the 
gospel ;  but  the  most  triumphant  answer  was  to  be  found 
in  the  first  two  chapters  of  this  letter,  which  contain 
thoughts  unsurpassed  in  all  Paul's  writings  for  the  depth 
and  penetration  of  their  spiritual  wisdom.  These  Asiatics 
were  lovers  of  knowledge,  and  Paul  had  met  them  from 
the  outset  with  the  satisfaction  of  their  desires.  These 
causeries  in  the  school  of  Tyrannus  had  been  a  special 
feature  of  the  ministry  at  Ephesus  ;  and  the  tone  thus  set, 
and  the  method  deliberately  adopted,  is  pursued  in  these 
two  great  Epistles.  We  find  here  the  best  vindication  of 
the  Apostle's  declared  purpose  '  to  be  all  things  to  all  men, 
if  by  any  means  he  may  save  some.' 

Lightfoot  has  pointed  out  ^  how  a  new  application  is 
given  here  to  Paul's  favourite  plea  for  the  universality 
of  the  gospel.  This  time  it  is  not  against  racial  narrow- 
ness that  he  argues,  but  against  intellectual  exclusiveness. 
These  illmninati  of  the  first  century  would  fain  have 
made  the  gospel  the  cult  of  the  few,  but  Paul  will  have 
none  of  it.  Christ  wrought  his  benefits  for  the  race,  and 
'  every  man  is  to  be  presented  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus ' 
(Col.  i.  28). 

The  dangerous  teaching  indicated  in  this  Epistle  found 
one  of  its  most  famous  representatives  in  the  closing 
years  of  the  first  century  in  the  person  of  Cerinthus, 
whom  Browning  introduces  at  the  close  of  '  A  Death  in 
the  Desert.'  He  was  a  personal  opponent  of  John  at 
Ephesus,  and  is  said  by  Irenaeus  to  have  been  the 
immediate  cause  of  the  Fourth  Gospel's  being  written. 
Certain  enforcements  of  Jewish  customs  are  attributed 
to  him,  like  those  referred  to  in  Col.  ii.  11,  16.  The 
creation  of  the  world  he  believed  to  be  the  work  of  some 
inferior  power,  and  not  the  direct  outcome  of  the  Divine 
energy,   and    the    Mosaic    law    to  be  due  to   a   similar 

^  Commentary^  p.  97  ff. 


INTRODUCTION  27 

angelic  ordinance.  He  further  taught  that  Jesus  was  a 
mere  man,  upon  whom  at  his  baptism  the  Christ  descended, 
and  dwelt  in  him  until  the  crucifixion,  when  Jesus,  the 
man,  suffered,  died,  and  was  raised.  This  return  of 
Christ  is  asserted  by  some  to  have  been  called  by 
Cerinthus  the  entrance  again  '  to  his  own  pleronia ' 
(fullness),  a  technical  term  of  the  later  heretics. 

Lightfoot  ^  contrasts  this  letter  with  that  to  the  Philip- 
pians  as  being  less  finished  and  fluent,  but,  he  adds,  *  no 
Epistle  is  more  vigorous  in  conception  or  more  instinct 
with  meaning.*  There  is  no  book  of  the  New  Testament 
that  will  better  repay  careful  study,  and  lead  those  who 
expend  the  effort  upon  it  to  enter  more  thoroughly  into  the 
'  mind  of  Christ.' 


CONTENTS  OF  THE  EPISTLE 

i.  1,  2.     Opening  salutation. 

i.  3-8.     Thanksgiving. 

i.  9-23.     The  glory  of  Christ. 

i.  24-29.     Paul's  sufferings  and  service. 

ii.  1-5.     Paul's  solicitude  for  the  churches. 

ii.  6-15.     Exhortation  to  loyalty. 

ii.  16-19.     The  shadow  and  the  substance. 

ii.  20 — iii.  4.     Death  and  life  in  Christ. 

iii.  5-11.     Putting  on  Christ. 

iii.  12-17.     The  garments  of  holiness. 

iii.  18 — iv.  1.     Practical  precepts. 

iv.  2-6.     Exhortation  to  prayer. 

iv.  7-18.     Commendation,  salutation  and  benediction. 

'  Commentary^  p.  124. 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  PHILEMON 


This  wonderful  little  letter  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
pieces  of  literature  in  the  world.  It  is  so  perfectly  natural 
and  genuine,  yet  the  more  carefully  one  reads  it  the  more 
clear  becomes  the  art  of  its  construction.  While  its  special 
pleading  is  done  with  dignity  and  Christian  courtliness, 
one  almost  feels  beneath  the  words  the  tender  throbbing 
of  the  writer's  heart. 

When  it  is  compared  with  the  letter  that  most  nearly 
approaches  it— that  of  the  younger  Pliny  in  similar 
circumstances — its  superiority  is  at  once  evident.  I  quote 
the  letter  of  the  Roman  noble  in  the  version  given  by 
Lightfoot  in  his  introduction  to  Philemon ^  'Your  freed- 
man,  with  whom  you  had  told  me  you  were  vexed,  came  to 
me,  and  throwing  himself  down  before  me  clung  to  my 
feet,  as  if  they  had  been  yours.  He  was  profuse  in  his 
tears  and  his  entreaties  ;  he  was  profuse  also  in  his  silence. 
In  short,  he  convinced  me  of  his  penitence.  I  believe 
that  he  is  indeed  a  reformed  character,  because  he  feels 
that  he  has  done  wrong.  You  are  angry,  I  know ;  and 
you  have  reason  to  be  angry,  this  also  I  know  ;  but 
mercy  wins  the  highest  praise  just  when  there  is  the  most 
righteous  cause  for  anger.  You  loved  the  man,  and, 
I  hope,  will  continue  to  love  him ;  meanwhile,  it  is 
enough  that  you  should  allow  yourself  to  yield  to  his 
prayers.  You  may  be  angry  again,  if  he  deserves  it ;  and 
in  this  you  will  be  the  more  readily  pardoned  if  you  yield 

^  Col ossians  and  Philemon,  p.  316. 


INTRODUCTION  29 

now.  Concede  something  to  his  youth,  something  to  his 
tears,  something  to  your  own  indulgent  disposition.  Do 
not  torture  him,  lest  you  torture  yourself  at  the  same 
time.  For  it  is  torture  to  you  when  one  of  your  gentle 
temper  is  angry.  I  am  afraid  lest  I  should  appear  not 
to  ask,  but  to  compel,  if  I  should  add  my  prayers  to  his. 
Yet  I  will  add  them  more  fully  and  unreservedly  because 
I  scolded  the  man  himself  with  sharpness  and  severity : 
for  I  threatened  him  straitly  that  I  would  never  ask  you 
again.  This  I  said  to  him,  for  it  was  necessary  to  alarm 
him ;  but  I  do  not  use  the  same  language  to  you.  For 
perchance  I  shall  ask  again,  and  shall  be  successful  again  : 
only  let  my  request  be  such  as  it  becomes  me  to  prefer 
and  you  to  grant.     Farewell.' 

This  is  noble  and  fine  in  feeling,  but  the  rhetorician  is 
plainly  visible,  and  in  the  balanced  periods  we  miss  the 
loving  touch  of  the  Apostle,  and  are  led  to  agree  with 
Kenan's  enthusiastic  verdict  that  this  Epistle  is  'a  true 
little  chef  d'aiuvre  of  the  art  of  letter  writing.' 

The  circumstances  that  called  it  into  being  are  easily 
understood.  It  reveals  to  us  a  charming  interior  of  a 
Christian  home  in  Colossae.  The  master  was  obviously 
a  man  in  easy  circumstances,  for  he  owned  slaves,  and 
could  offer  a  suitable  meeting-place  for  the  Christian 
community  under  his  own  roof.  The  awakening  of  his 
spiritual  life  he  owed  to  the  Apostle's  ministry,  most 
probably  during  the  time  of  Paul's  residence  at  Ephesus. 
He  had  proved  an  active  assistant  in  all  the  mission  work 
that  followed.  He  was  a  generous-hearted  man,  and  had 
exercised  the  grace  of  hospitality  in  many  cases.  His  wife, 
who  bore  the  name  of  Apphia,  which,  from  the  evidence 
that  inscriptions  afford,  seems  to  have  been  a  common 
one  in  the  district,  apparently  shared  her  husband's 
Christian  aspirations,  and  seconded  him  willingly  in  his 
endeavours  to  further  the  interests  of  the  church.  It  is 
at  least  a  reasonable  conjecture  that  Archippus  was  their 
son,  and  he  had  evidently  thrown  himself  with  still  more 


30  PHILEMON 

zeal  into  the  service  of  the  new  religion.  Paul  speaks 
of  his  '  ministry  *  in  a  very  special  sense,  as  evidencing 
the  fact  of  his  holding  some  official  position  in  the 
local  Christian  community.  The  Apostle  had  no  doubt 
excellent  grounds  for  calling  him  a  '  fellow-soldier,'  and  the 
name  from  the  heart  of  the  old  campaigner  must  have 
been  an  immense  incentive  and  source  of  strength  to 
the  younger  man.  But  the  letter  is  chiefly  concerned 
with  another  member  of  the  household— to  wit,  a  slave. 
Onesimus  (the  useful  one)  was  a  common  name  among 
this  class,  and  is  not  infrequently  introduced  by  the 
comic  poets  as  the  name  of  the  slave  in  their  plays. 
Such  men  were  supposed  to  have  no  consciences,  no 
rights,  no  standing.  Their  misdeeds  were,  in  consequence, 
frequent,  and  their  punishment,  by  the  strange  logic  that 
held  them  answerable  for  their  faults,  though  it  refused 
them  the  privileges  of  manhood,  severe.  He  had  stolen 
some  of  his  master's  property,  and  then  made  his  escape. 
There  was  no  more  likely  asylum  for  such  defaulters  than 
Rome,  and  this  meeting  of  Paul  and  Onesimus  is  in  itself 
a  strong  argument  in  favour  of  the  imperial  city  being 
the  place  from  which  this  group  of  letters  was  written. 
We  cannot  tell  how  the  slave  came  to  find  out  the 
prisoner ;  but  once  brought  into  contact  with  him,  he  soon 
entered  into  a  new  slavery,  and  became  *  the  bond-servant 
of  Jesus  Christ.'  Paul's  warm  heart  went  out  towards  this 
man,  whose  generosity  was  touched  by  the  Apostle's 
affection.  No  conventional  barriers  warped  his  judgement. 
In  Christ  Jesus  there  could  be  neither  *  barbarian,  Scythian, 
bondman,  nor  freeman.'  Onesimus  becomes  a  'brother 
beloved.'  It  is  no  easy  task  to  send  him  back  to  his 
lawful  master,  for  he  has  not  only  endeared  himself  to 
Paul,  but  has  greatly  alleviated  his  distress.  But  Christian 
duty  renders  his  return  imperative,  and  Paul  does  not 
shrink  from  this  sacrifice  any  more  than  he  has  done  from 
far  greater  ones.  Tychicus  has  been  chosen  as  the  bearer 
of  the  Apostle's  messages  to  the  churches  in  the  Lycus 


INTRODUCTION  31 

valley,  and  his  companion  Onesimus  is  sent  back  to 
confess  his  wrong  and  make  what  restitution  is  in  his 
power.  He  returns,  however,  with  the  best  of  credentials 
— an  autograph  letter  from  the  great  missionary  ;  and  such 
a  letter !  *  Here,'  as  Luther  says,  *  we  see  how  Paul  layeth 
himself  out  for  poor  Onesimus,  and  with  all  his  means 
pleadeth  his  cause  with  his  master,  and  so  setteth 
himself  as  if  he  were  Onesimus,  and  had  himself  done 
wrong  to  Philemon.  Even  as  Christ  did  for  us  with 
God  the  Father,  thus  also  doth  Paul  for  Onesimus  with 
Philemon.     We  are  all  his  Onesimi,  to  my  thinking.' 

We  have  no  evidence  as  to  what  was  the  result  of  the 
Apostle's  noble  plea;  but  there  can  be  no  doubt,  from 
our  knowledge  of  the  actors  in  the  little  drama,  that  the 
result  was  the  permanent  enrichment  of  the  household 
of  Philemon  by  the  presence  within  it  of  one  tenfold  more 
valuable  as  a  servant,  because  he  was  a  fellow  member  of 
the  church  of  Christ. 

The  letter  is  of  unique  value  because  it  is  the  first 
forecast  of  that  noble  Christian  literature  of  emancipation, 
which  has  seen  its  latest  and  fairest  fruits  within  our  own 
time.  Christianity  did  not  violently  uproot  the  social 
evils  amid  which  it  sprang  up,  but  permitted  its  own 
new  life  to  permeate  the  surroundings  till  it  not  only 
ousted  the  evil  but  supplanted  it  by  the  good.  This 
little  letter  is  the  first  note  in  that  noble  music  that  has 
found  place  in  its  orchestra  for  the  strains  of  Chrysostom, 
Lincoln,  Lowell,  Longfellow,  and  Mrs.  Beecher  Stowe. 
In  this  sense  Sabatier  is  right  when  he  says  it  becomes 
*  an  invaluable  document  of  the  Pauline  ethics.'  It  began 
the  work  of  disintegrating  one  of  the  greatest  evils  of 
society,  and  righting  one  of  the  most  awful  wrongs  man 
can  inflict  upon  his  brother.  Surely,  therefore,  it  reflects 
the  pure  radiance  of  the  cross. 


32  PHILEMON 


CONTENTS  OF  THE  EPISTLE 

1-3.     Opening  salutation. 

4-7.     Paul's  thanksgiving  and  pra3'er  for  his  friend. 

8-17.     Plea  for  Onesimus. 

18-22.     Promise  to  be  Philemon's  guarantor. 

23-25.     Closing  salutations  and  benediction. 


THE 

EPISTLE  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS 

Philippi  and  its  Political  Position. 

The  great  speeches  of  the  most  famous  orator  of 
ancient  Greece  are  filled  with  the  shadows  of  an  over- 
whelming power  that  threatened  to  submerge  Athens, 
and  subdue  the  noble  republic.  The  power  was  that  of 
Macedon ;  the  man  who  made  it  terrible  was  Philip. 
From  that  hour  the  star  of  Macedonia  was  in  the  ascen- 
dant, and  under  Alexander  her  empire  became  world-wide. 
Philip  began  his  reign  in  B.  C.  360,  and  quickly  subdued 
the  turbulent  cities  that  surrounded  him ;  one  of  these 
was  named  Crenides  (the  '  Little  Fountains '),  from  the 
number  of  springs  that  had  their  rise  in  the  mountains 
that  overshadowed  it.  When  he  had  conquered  it  he 
imported  colonists  of  his  fellow  countrymen,  and  re-named 
the  city  after  himself— Philippi.  It  has  been  thought  that 
this  plural  form  of  the  name  may  have  arisen  from  the  fact 
of  several  small  townships  being  united  in  the  new  city, 
but  that  is  only  surmise.  The  place  had  become  famous 
for  its  gold  reefs,  and  the  valley  was  the  busy  scene  of 
mining  operations.  This  was  probably  as  turbulent  and 
engrossing  an  occupation  as  in  the  present  day,  for  it 
appears  that  all  other  interests  were  neglected  in  the 
wild  and  feverish  hunt  for  gold.  Philip's  cupidity  was 
aroused,  but  he  had  no  sooner  gained  possession  of  the 
place,  than  he  set  himself  to  improve  its   surroundings, 

(8)  D 


34  PHILIPPIANS 

and  succeeded  by  new  drainage  and  other  operations  in 
making  it  more  healthy.  The  gold  was  of  great  service 
to  him  in  his  schemes  of  empire-building.  '  The  gold  of 
Crenides,'  says  Heuzey,  the  French  explorer,  *  spread 
itself  over  Greece,  preceding  the  phalanx  like  an  ad- 
vance-guard, and  opening  more  gates  than  the  battering- 
rams  and  catapults.'  After  the  death  of  Alexander, 
Philip's  famous  son,  Macedonia  became  one  of  the  three- 
fold divisions  of  the  empire.  During  the  two  centuries 
that  followed  she  was  engaged  in  several  struggles  with 
Rome,  and  these  resulted  in  her  becoming  a  Roman 
province.  One  great  battle  took  place  on  the  plain  of 
Philippi,  the  battle  that  Shakespeare  has  made  familiar  to 
English  readers  in  the  pages  oi  Julius  CcEsar.  When  the 
victory  was  here  secured  over  the  Republican  forces 
the  young  emperor  Octavianus  remained  some  time  at 
Philippi,  realized  the  strategic  importance  of  its  situation, 
and  made  it  (B.C.  42)  a  military  colony,  with  special 
privileges.  The  inhabitants  of  a  colony  shared  the  chief 
advantages  of  imperial  citizens,  and  as  so  many  French 
towns  endeavour  to  become  Paris  in  miniature,  so  the 
Roman  colonies  did  their  utmost  to  copy  Rome.  The 
magistrates  of  such  a  city  controlled  all  its  affairs,  and 
were  very  proud  of  their  position,  while  they  called 
themselves  by  the  name  of  'Praetors,'  a  technical  term 
which  Luke  carefully  renders  by  its  Greek  equivalent  in 
Acts  xvi.  20-38. 

The  very  name  of  the  city  has  long  disappeared. 
A  village  on  the  site  of  the  old  city  retained  traces  of  the 
proud  title,  but  this  also  has  vanished,  and  only  ruins 
mark  the  spot.  Among  the  inscriptions  are  names  that 
occur  in  the  letters  of  Paul,  and  so  a  slight  connexion  is 
preserved  between  the  most  famous  visitor  to  the  place, 
and  its  scattered  stones — such  names  as  Crescens, 
Pudens,  and  Trophimus  shew  us  what  may  have  been 
the  names  of  those  who  were  '  first  called  Christians '  in 
a  city  of  Europe. 


INTRODUCTION  35 

Philippi  and  Paul. 

In  the  sixteenth  chapter  of  Acts  we  have  the  account 
of  a  great  crisis  in  the  missionary  work  of  Paul.  We 
read  of  a  vision  that  came  to  him  at  Troas.  In  this 
vision  he  saw  a  man  of  Macedonia  bidding  Paul  come 
over  and  help  the  people  of  that  land.  Who  was  the  man 
of  Macedonia  ?  Prof.  Ramsay  thinks  he  has  found  an 
answer '.  It  was  not  merely  any  man,  as  we  have  generally 
supposed,  easily  recognizable  as  a  representative  of  the 
country,  for  there  was  no  peculiarity  of  dress  or  appear- 
ance to  single  out  natives  of  that  district  from  those  of 
any  other  part  of  Greece.  The  man  must  have  been 
one  known  to  Paul,  and  so  he  is  identified  with  Luke, 
who  as  the  writer  of  the  narrative  shelters  himself 
modestly  under  this  anonymous  description,  as  does  John 
under  the  title  of  '  the  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved.'  The 
conjecture  is  an  interesting  one,  and  we  have  no  evi- 
dence to  overthrow  it,  though  there  is  also  lacking  much 
to  support  it.  In  company  with  Luke,  Timothy,  and 
Silvanus,  Paul  set  sail  from  Troas,  and  landed  at 
Neapolis,  the  seaport  of  Philippi.  The  harbour  was 
commodious  and  safe  and  had  afforded  shelter  to  the 
war  vessels  of  Brutus  and  Cassius  in  the  hour  of  Rome's 
great  conflict.  The  journey  inland  lay  along  one  of  the 
great  Roman  roads,  the  Via  Egnatia^  for  a  distance  of 
eight  or  ten  miles  over  Mount  Pangaeus.  A  beautiful 
description  of  the  route  has  been  given  by  Renan  : 
'Taking  this  road,  which  they  did  not  need  to  leave 
until  reaching  Thessalonica,  the  apostles  ascended  the 
paved  and  cut  slope  in  the  rocks  which  overlook 
Neapohs,  crossed  the  little  chain  of  mountains  which 
forms  the  coast,  and  entered  the  beautiful  plain  in  the 
centre  of  which  stands,  detached  upon  a  projecting  pro- 
montory of  the  mountain,  the  city  of  Philippi.  Every- 
thing  indicated   habits   honest,   serious,   and  amenable. 

*  Cf.  'St.  Luke'  in  this  series,  p.  17. 
D  2 


36  PHILIPPIANS 

One  felt  himself  to  be  in  a  centre  analogous  to  that  in 
which  the  poetry  of  Virgil  was  created.  The  evergreen 
plain  was  favourable  for  the  various  culture  of  vegetables 
and  flowers.  Splendid  fountains,  springing  from  the  foot 
of  the  mountain  of  shining  marble  which  crowned  the 
city,  spread,  when  properly  directed,  shade  and  fresh- 
ness. The  thickets  of  poplars,  willows,  of  fig  trees  and 
cherry  trees,  and  wild  vines,  exhaled  the  sweetest  odours, 
and  scented  the  brooks  which  abounded  on  all  sides. 
Moreover,  the  meadows,  which  were  overrun  or  covered 
with  large  roses,  exhibited  troops  of  heavy  white-eyed 
buffaloes,  with  enormous  horns,  their  heads  just  out  of 
the  water  ;  whilst  the  bees  and  the  swarms  of  black 
and  blue  butterflies  flitted  from  flower  to  flower.  Pan- 
gaeus,  with  its  majestic  summits  covered  with  snow  till 
the  middle  of  July,  lay  stretched  out  as  if  it  would  touch 
the  city  across  the  morass.  Beautiful  ranges  of  moun- 
tains bounded  the  horizon  on  all  the  other  sides, 
discovering  only  an  opening  through  which  the  sky 
disappeared,  and  shewing  in  the  clear  distance  the  basin 
of  Strymon.' 

Through  this  lovely  country  the  little  company  of 
Christian  missionaries  made  their  way — certainly  one 
of  the  most  memorable  journeys  in  the  world.  It  has 
been  often  maintained  that  Paul  had  no  eye  for 
natural  beauty^,  a  charge  that  has,  in  the  judgement 
of  the  present  writer,  been  much  too  rashly  made,  but, 
in  the  present  instance  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
what  filled  his  thoughts  more  than  all  the  fairness  of 
outward  nature  were  the  possibilities  that  lay  in  front 
of  him  in  that  city  which  he  was  nearing.  Was  it  in 
silent  thought  the  three  approached  it,  or  in  eager  con- 
versation as  to  how  they  could  best  commend  to  new 
hearers  the  story  of  the  Crucified  ?     It  is  true  that  the 

^  On  the  other  side  see  a  very  suggestive  article  by  Dr. 
Grosart,  *St.  Paul  and  the  Objective,'  in  the  Expository  Times, 
vol.  iii.  p.  250. 


INTRODUCTION  37 

distinction  which  is  so  prominent  to  our  minds  between 
Asia  and  Europe  did  not  exist  for  Paul,  as  each  was 
equally  part  of  the  Roman  empire,  yet  the  special 
circumstances  that  led  to  this  sudden  change  in  his  plans 
must  have  made  a  deep  impression  upon  himself  and 
his  companions.  On  entering  the  city  they  soon  found 
their  co-religionists  meeting  in  a  little  place  of  prayer 
outside  its  walls.  The  first  converts  were  women — one 
in  a  good  social  position,  who  had  come  to  prosecute 
a  commercial  calling,  not  unassociated  with  those  cities 
to  whose  churches  the  other  letters  contained  in  this 
volume  are  written  ^  Another,  by  her  conversion,  affected 
the  gains  of  her  masters,  who,  trading  on  the  love  of 
magical  and  occult  manifestations  always  popular  in 
heathen  communities,  felt  aggrieved  at  this  interference 
with  their  sources  of  revenue  and,  acting  as  did  the  men 
of  Ephesus,  raised  a  complaint  against  the  missionaries 
and  had  them  thrown  into  prison.  From  this  danger  an 
earthquake  delivered  them,  and  brought  new  converts  to 
the  faith.  The  whole  circumstance  put  terror  into  the 
hearts  of  the  proud  praators,  and  this  was  intensified 
when  they  learned  they  had  committed  a  wrong  against 
Roman  citizens,  which  brought  them  into  danger  of 
incurring  punishment  at  the  hands  of  the  emperor.  At 
their  humble  request,  therefore,  the  little  band  went  on 
their  way  to  Thessalonica,  though,  as  some  hold,  Luke 
remained  behind.  If  we  could  be  sure  that  Philippi  was 
his  home,  this  would  have  a  natural  enough  explanation. 
How  long  the  visit  had  lasted  we  cannot  tell,  but  there 
are  indications  that  it  had  not  been  very  short,  since 
a  small  Christian  community  (Acts  xvi.  40)  had  grown 
up,  and  very  strong  personal  ties  of  intimacy  and 
affection  had  been  formed.  About  five  years  afterwards 
Paul  was  in  the  neighbourhood  again,  though  we  have 
no    direct    evidence    that    he    visited    Philippi.    Three 


^  See  p.  1 2  on  the  dyeing  industries  of  the  Lycus  Valley. 


38  PHILIPPIANS 

months  later,  on  his  return  from  Corinth,  the  discovery  of 
a  Jewish  plot  against  his  life  prevented  his  going  direct 
to  Syria  by  sea,  and  he  made  a  detour  through  Mace- 
donia. On  this  occasion  (Acts  xx.  6)  we  know  that  he 
visited  Philippi.  Whether  he  ever  saw  his  favourite 
church  again  we  cannot  be  sure,  but  if  we  are  to  trust 
the  evidence  of  the  Pastoral  Epistles  we  may  infer  that 
he  did,  since  we  learn  from  i  Tim.  i.  3  that  he  went 
again  to  Macedonia.  We  have  already  seen  what 
connexion  he  had  with  the  Philippian  Christians  during 
his  residence  at  Rome  (see  General  Introduction,  p.  8). 

The  Philippian  Epistle.    Its  Genuineness 
AND  Integrity. 

Of  all  Paul's  letters  to  churches  this  one  breathes  the 
most  intimate  and  affectionate  spirit.  It  is  irradiated 
with  a  warmth  of  joy  and  satisfaction  that  we  do  not  find 
permeating  any  of  his  other  messages.  There  has  been 
no  turning  away  after  false  teaching,  no  outbreak  of 
serious  laxity,  no  lapse  into  heathen  immorality  or  Jewish 
formalism.  Only  one  slight  reference  (iv.  2)  is  made 
to  some  internal  quarrel  between  two  members  of  the 
church.  The  Philippians  are  his  '  brethren  beloved,  his 
joy  and  crown.'  Doubts  as  to  its  Pauline  authorship 
seem  hardly  conceivable,  but  they  have  been  raised  from 
time  to  time,  though  satisfactorily  refuted,  and  it  is  not 
necessary  here  to  go  into  the  controversy,  for  all  the 
prominent  authorities  of  the  present  day  are  at  one  as 
to  its  authenticity  and  genuineness.  Another  question, 
more  difficult  to  solve,  has  been  raised  as  to  the  integrity 
of  the  Epistle.  Some  hold  that  the  words  in  the  beginning 
of  chap,  iii — where,  after  having  written  '  Finally,  my 
brethren,  rejoice  in  the  Lord,'  the  Apostle  starts  afresh 
and  continues  for  two  chapters— point  to  their  beginning 
a  second  letter  here  combined  with  the  first.  It  has 
been  shewn,  however,  that  the  words  rendered  '  Finally  * 


INTRODUCTION  39 

may  also  mean,  '  As  to  what  remains '  (see  note  on  the 
verse,  and  cf.  I  Thess.  iv.  i),  and  is  a  mere  connective, 
introducing  what  follows. 

If  there  are  two  letters,  the  supporters  of  this  theory  are 
not  at  all  agreed  as  to  where  to  find  them,  some  saying  the 
second  begins  at  iii.  i,  and  ends  at  iv.  9  or  iv.  20,  and 
others  that  the  first  letter  closes  abruptly  at  the  end  of 
chap.  ii.  The  words  '  To  write  the  same  things,'  &c.,  have 
been  held  to  prove  a  lost  letter  or  letters,  on  which 
question  see  the  note  on  the  verse.  The  free  and  easy 
character  of  the  Epistle  seems  to  permit  of  somewhat 
loose  and  informal  connexion.  It  is  not  a  treatise,  but 
the  outpouring  of  the  heart  of  a  friend,  and  in  such 
communications  it  is  not  likely  that  conclusions  of  such 
weight  can  be  built  upon  a  word. 


Its  Purpose. 

The  main  purpose  of  this  letter  is  clearly  that  of  com- 
mendation and  encouragement.  Here  we  have  Paul  in  his 
most  free  and  affectionate  mood.  He  is  writing  to  those 
who  understand,  appreciate,  and  sympathize  with  him. 
He  shares  his  inmost  thoughts  with  them.  They  have 
been  generous  in  gifts  and  lavish  in  love,  and  he  is  not 
afraid  to  let  them  see  how  deeply  he  is  touched.  In  this 
church  he  has  very  little  with  which  to  find  fault.  An 
occasional  note  of  warning  suffices. 

What  he  seeks  to  inculcate  is  the  practical  application 
of  Christian  teaching.  They  know  the  gospel,  and  they 
have  not  challenged  the  Apostle's  interpretation  of  it,  so 
that  all  he  needs  to  insist  upon  is  the  constant  effort  to 
allow  these  great  truths  to  mould  their  life.  The  incarna- 
tion of  Christ  is  to  be  a  continual  incentive  to  humility ; 
the  mystical  union  with  Christ  is  to  issue  in  complete 
likeness  to  him.  The  personal  note  abides  even  in  the 
most  doctrinal  passages,  for  the  Apostle  (as  in  iii.  8,  14) 
does  not  shrink  from  laying  bare  the  secrets  of  his  own 


40  PHILIPPIANS 

spiritual  experience.  Nowhere  is  the  living  Christ  more 
clearly  manifest,  and  Paul's  consciousness  of  his  power- 
ful presence  declared.  Here  too  we  have  Paul  himself 
revealed — his  secret  and  most  sacred  ambitions,  his 
failures  and  successes,  his  desires  and  temptations,  his 
sacrifices  and  compensations.  This  letter  brings  us  into 
closest  contact  with  that  great  and  noble  soul,  and  as 
we  read  it  we  feel  drawn  towards  the  man,  whom  mere 
superficial  observers  deemed  '  contemptible,'  but  whom 
sympathetic  hearts  welcomed  as  the  wisest  of  teachers 
and  the  truest  of  friends. 

If  we  are  right  in  dating  it  last  of  this  group  of  letters 
(see  above,  p.  9),  then  the  Apostle  is  just  anticipating  his 
trial.  On  one  interpretation  of  the  word  *  praetorium '  he 
has  already  appeared  before  the  imperial  court  (see 
Phil.  i.  7,  note).  He  clearly  estimates  the  importance  of 
that  event,  and  while  it  might  issue  in  speedy  death 
and  so  bring  '  gain  '  to  himself,  he  hopes,  for  his  converts' 
sake,  that  another  turn  will  be  given  to  it  and  that  he 
will  see  their  faces  again.  Prof.  Ramsay  points  out  the 
important  value  of  the  acquittal  to  the  church  throughout 
the  Roman  world :  it  was  equivalent  to  a  formal  decision 
by  the  supreme  court  of  the  empire  that  it  was  per- 
missible to  preach  Christianity ;  the  issue  of  the  trial, 
therefore,  was  really  a  charter  of  religious  liberty  ^.  This, 
no  doubt,  that  clear  mind  of  Paul  also  saw,  and  hence 
the  deep  note  of  triumph  and  of  joy  that  rings  out  in  every 
line  of  the  letter. 

*  St.  Patil  the  Traveller,  p.  308. 


INTRODUCTION  41 


CONTENTS  OF  THE  EPISTLE 

i.  1,  2.     Opening  salutation. 

i.  3-11.     Thanksgiving  and  prayer. 

i.  12-17.     State  of  the  gospel  in  Rome. 

i.  18-26.     Paul's  own  circumstances. 

i.  27-30.     Plea  for  consistency. 

ii.  1-11.     Exhortation  to  humility  like  Christ's. 

ii.  12-18.     Exhortation  to  shew  forth  Christ. 

ii.  19-24.     Probable  movements  of  Paul  and  Timothy. 

ii.  25-30.     Mission  of  Epaphroditus. 

iii.  1-3.     A  warning  against  false  teachers. 

iii.  4-14.     Paul's  Judaism  set  aside  for  Christ. 

iii.  15-iv.  I.     The  true  conduct  of  citizens  of  heaven. 

iv.  2,  3.     Counsels  of  reconciliation. 

iv.  4-9.     Sundry  exhortations. 

iv.  10-20.     Acknowledgement  of  Philippians'  generosity. 

iv.  21-23.     Closing  salutations  and  benediction. 


THE  EPISTLES  OF  PAUL  THE  APOSTLE 


TO   THE 


EPHESIANS,  COLOSSIANS 
PHILEMON,  AND  PHILIPPIANS 

AUTHORIZED  VERSION 


TPIE  EPISTLE  OF  PAUL  THE  APOSTLE 


TO    THE 


EPHESIANS 


1  Paul,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ  by  the  will  of    chap.  i 
God,  to  the  saints  which  are  at  Ephesus,  and  to      —7- 

opening 

2  the  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus  :    Grace  be  to  you,  and  greeting 
peace,  from  God  our  Father,  and  from  the  Lord  ^ction"^" 
Jesus  Christ. 

I       Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  a  great 
Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  fhliSks- 

4  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ :   according  giving, 
as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  Father's 
of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  choice. 

5  blame  before  him  in  love :  having  predestinated 
us  unto  the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ 
to  himself,  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his 

6  will,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,  wherein 
he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved. 

7  In  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  (*)  The 
the  forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  gifts\n^ 

8  grace ;  wherein  he  hath  abounded  toward  us  in  all  Christ. 

9  wisdom  and  prudence ;  having  made  known  unto 
us  the  mystery  of  his  will,  according  to  his  good 

10  pleasure  which  he  hath  purposed  in  himself:  that 


46 


EPHESIANS 


Chap.  1 


(c)  These 

gifts 

secured 

by  the 

Holy 

Spirit. 

Paul's 
thanks- 
e^iving  for 
their  faith- 
ful wit- 
ness, and 
his  prayer 
for  their  in- 
crease in 
know- 
ledge and 
spiritual 
gifts. 


in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times  he  might 
gather  together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both 
which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth ;  even 
in  him  :    in  whom  also  we  have  obtained  an  inheri-  i  r 
tance,  being  predestinated  according  to  the  purpose 
of  him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of 
his  own  will:    that  we  should  be  to  the  praise  of  i:: 
his  glory,  who  first  trusted  in  Christ.     In  whom  ye  i:, 
also  trusted,  after  that  ye  heard  the  word  of  truth, 
the  gospel  of  your  salvation  : 

In  whom  also  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed 
with  that  holy  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  14 
of  our  inheritance  until  the  redemption  of  the  pur- 
chased possession,  unto  the  praise  of  his  glory. 

Wherefore  I  also,  after  I  heard  of  your  faith  in  15 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  love  unto  all  the  saints,  cease  16 
not  to  give  thanks  for  you,  making  mention  of  you 
in  my  prayers;    that  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  17 
Christ,  the  Father  of  glory,  may  give  unto  you  the 
spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  v 
of   him:    the  eyes  of  your  understanding  being  iS 
enlightened ;   that  ye  may  know  what  is  the  hope 
of  his  calling,  and  what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of 
his   inheritance   in   the   saints,    and   what   is  the  19 
exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to  us-ward  who 
believe,  according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty 
power,  which  he  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  20 
him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own  right 
hand  in  the  heavenly  places^  far  above  all  princi-  21 
pality,  and  power,  and  might,  and  dominion,  and 
every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this  world, 
but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come :   and  hath  put 
all  things  under  his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  the 


22 


EPHESIANS  47 

23  head  over  all  things  to  the  church,  which  is  his    Chap.  1 

body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  fiUeth  all  in  all. 
2       And  you  hath  he  quickened^  who  were  dead  in  Trans- 

2  trespasses  and  sins  ;  wherein  in  time  past  ye  walked  Hves  and 
according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  ****^  s°^*' 
the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that 

now   worketh   in   the   children   of   disobedience : 

3  among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  conversation  in 
times  past  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  fulfilling  the 
desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind ;   and  were  by 

4  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others.  But 
God,  who  is  rich   in   mercy,  for  his  great  love 

5  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead 
in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ, 

6  (by  grace  ye  are  saved;)  and  hath  raised  us  up 
together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly 

7  places  in  Christ  Jesus  :  that  in  the  ages  to  come  he 
might  shew  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  his 

8  kindness  toward  us  through  Christ  Jesus.  For  by 
grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith ;   and  that  not  of 

9  yourselves  :  it  is  the  gift  of  God  :  not  of  works,  lest 
I  o  any  man  should  boast.     For  we  are  his  workman- 
ship,  created  in  Christ   Jesus  unto  good  works, 
which  God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should 
walk  in  them. 

1  r       Wherefore  remember,  that  ye  being  in  time  past  The  share 
Gentiles  in  the  flesh,  who  are  called  Uncircum-  QerSaes 
cision  by  that  which  is  called  the  Circumcision  in  in  the 

12  the  flesh  made  by  hands  \  that  at  that  time  ye  were  mercies  of 
without   Christ,   being  aliens  from  the  common-  JjJ^^^  j, 
wealth  of  Israel,  and  strangers  from  the  covenants  Christ's 
of  promise,   having   no  hope,   and   without    God  and  death. 

13  in  the  world :    but  now  in  Christ  Jesus  ye  who 


48  EPHESIANS 

Chap.  2    sometimes  were   far   off  are   made   nigh    by   the 

blood  of  Christ.     For  he  is  our  peace,  who  hath  14 
made  both  one,  and  hath  broken  down  the  middle 
wall  of  partition  between  us ;   having  abolished  in  15 
his  flesh  the  enmity,  even  the  law  of  commandments 
contained  in  ordinances  ;  for  to  make  in  himself  of 
twain  one  new  man,  so  making  peace ;  and  that  he  16 
might  reconcile  both  unto  God  in  one  body  by  the 
cross,  having  slain  the  enmity  thereby  :   and  came  17 
and  preached  peace  to  you  which  were  afar  off,  and 
to  them  that  were  nigh.     For  through  him  we  both  18 
have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father.     Now  19 
therefore  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and  foreigners, 
but  fellowcitizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  house- 
hold of  God ;  and  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  20 
the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ   himself 
being  the  chief  corner  stone;    in   whom  all  the  21 
building  fitly  framed  together  groweth  unto  an  holy 
temple  in  the  Lord :   in  whom  ye  also  are  builded  22 
together  for  an  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit. 
Paul— the        For  this  cause  I  Paul,   the  prisoner  of  Jesus    3 
a/y^to  the   Christ  for  you  Gentiles,  if  ye  have  heard  of  the     2 
Gentiles,     dispensation  of  the  grace  of  God  which  is  given 
ings  a  seal  me  to  you-ward  :   how  that  by  revelation  he  made    ;, 
of  his         known  unto  me  the  mystery  ;    (as  I  wrote  afore  in 

few  words,  whereby,  when  ye  read,  ye  may  under-    4 
stand   my   knowledge  in   the  mystery  of  Christ) 
which  in  other  ages  was  not  made  known  unto  the    5 
sons  of  men,  as  it  is  now  revealed  unto  his  holy 
apostles   and   prophets   by   the   Spirit;    that   the    6 
Gentiles  should  be  fellowheirs,  and  of  the  same 
body,  and  partakers  of  his  promise  in  Christ  by  the 
gospel :   whereof  I  was  made  a  minister,  according    7 


EPHESIANS  49 

to  the  gift  of  the  grace  of  God  given  unto  me  by    Chap.  3 

8  the  effectual  working  of  his  power.  Unto  me,  who 
am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,  is  this  grace 
given,  that  I  should  preach  among  the  Gentiles  the 

9  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ;  and  to  make  all 
men  see  what  is  the  fellowship  of  the  mystery, 
which  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  hath  been 
hid  in  God,  who  created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ : 

10  to  the  intent  that  now  unto  the  principalities  and 
powers  in  heavenly  places  might  be  known  by  the 

11  church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God,  according  to 
the  eternal  purpose  which  he  purposed  in  Christ 

1 2  Jesus  our  Lord :   in  whom  we  have  boldness  and 

13  access  with  confidence  by  the  faith  of  him.  Where- 
fore I  desire  that  ye  faint  not  at  my  tribulations 
for  you,  which  is  your  glory. 

14  For  this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father  Paul's 

15  of  our  Lord   Jesus   Christ,  of  whom  the  whole  fo^the 

16  family  in   heaven   and  earth   is   named,  that  he  church's 

ij  1-  ,         •  ,  r  ,  .    growth  m 

would  grant  you,  accordmg  to  the  riches  of  his  know- 
glory,  to  be  strengthened  with  might  by  his  Spirit  ^^^^e* 

17  in  the  inner  man;  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your 
hearts  by  faith  ;  that  ye,  being  rooted  and  grounded 

18  in  love,  may  be  able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints 
what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and 

19  height;  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which 
passeth  knowledge,  that  ye  might  be  filled  with  all 
the  fulness  of  God. 

20  Now  unto  him  that  is  able   to   do  exceeding  An 
abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or  think,  accord-  o?p^Sse. 

21  ing  to  the  power  that  worketh  in  us,  unto  him  be 
glory  in  the  church  by  Christ  Jesus  throughout 
all  ages,  world  without  end.     Amen. 

(8)  E 


50  EPHESIANS 

Chap.  4        I  therefore,  the  prisoner  of  the  Lord,  beseech 
you  that  ye  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith 
ye  are  called,  with  all  lowliness  and  meekness,  with 
longsuffering,  forbearing  one  another  in  love ;   en- 
deavouring to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
bond  of  peace.     There  is  one  body,  and  one  Spirit, 
even  as  ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling ; 
one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  5,6 
Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and 
in  you  all.     But  unto  every  one  of  us  is  given  grace    7 
according   to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ. 
Wherefore  he  saith.  When  he  ascended  up  on  high,    8 
he  led  captivity  captive,  and  gave  gifts  unto  men. 
(Now  that  he  ascended,  what  is  it  but  that  he  also    9 
descended  first  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth  ? 
He  that  descended  is  the  same  also  that  ascended  10 
up  far  above  all  heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all 
things.)     And  he  gave  some,  apostles  ;  and  some,  n 
prophets;  and  some,  evangelists;  and  some,  pastors 
and  teachers;   for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  12 
the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the 
body  of  Christ :  till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  13 
faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God, 
unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature 
of  the  fulness  of  Christ :   that  we  henceforth  be  no  14  < 
more  children,  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about 
with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men, 
and  cunning  craftiness,  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to 
deceive;  but  speaking  the  truth  in  love,  may  grow  151 
up  into  him  in  all  things,  which  is  the  head,  even 
Christ:    from  whom  the  whole  body  fitly  joined  16 
together  and  compacted  by  that  which  every  joint 
supplieth,  according  to  the  effectual  working  in  the 


EPHESIANS  51 

measure  of  every   part,   maketh    increase   of  the    Chap.  4 
body  unto  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love. 

17  This  I  say  therefore,  and  testify  in  the  Lord,  'The  old 
that  ye  henceforth  walk  not  as  other  Gentiles  walk,  changeth.' 

18  in  the  vanity  of  their  mind,  having  the  understand- 
ing darkened,  being  alienated  from  the  life  of  God 
through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  because  of 

19  the  blindness  of  their  heart :  who  being  past  feeling 
have  given  themselves  over  unto  lasciviousness,  to 

20  work  all  uncleanness  with  greediness.    But  ye  have 

21  not  so  learned  Christ ;  if  so  be  that  ye  have  heard 
him,  and  have  been  taught  by  him,  as  the  truth  is 

22  in  Jesus :  that  ye  put  off  concerning  the  former 
conversation  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  accord- 

23  ing  to  the  deceitful  lusts ;   and  be  renewed  in  the 

24  spirit  of  your  mind ;    and  that  ye  put  on  the  new 
[.     man,  which  after  God  is  created  in  righteousness 

35  and  true  holiness.  Wherefore  putting  away  lying, 
speak  every  man  truth  with  his  neighbour :   for  we 

36  are  members  one  of  another.     Be  ye  angry,  and 
ji     sin  not :  let  not  the  sun  go  down  upon  your  wrath  : 

28  neither  give  place  to  the  devil.     Let  him  that  stole    V 
steal  no  more  :   but  rather  let  him  labour,  working 
with  his  hands  the  thing  which  is  good,  that  he 

^9  may  have  to  give  to  him  that  needeth.  Let  no 
corrupt  communication  proceed  out  of  your  mouth, 
but  that  which  is  good  to  the  use  of  edifying,  that 

30  it  may  minister  grace  unto  the  hearers.  And  grieve 
not  the  holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed 

31  unto  the  day  of  redemption.  Let  all  bitterness, 
and  wrath,  and  anger,  and  clamour,  and  evil  speak- 

132  ing,  be  put  away  from  you,  with  all  malice :   and 
!     be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  tenderhearted,  forgiving 

E  2 


52  EPHESIANS 

Chap.  4  one  another,  even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath 
forgiven  you. 

Be    ye    therefore    followers    of   God,    as    dear    5 
children ;    and  walk  in  love,  as  Christ  also  hath     2 
loved  us,  and  hath  given  himself  for  us  an  offering 
and  a  sacrifice  to  God  for  a  sweetsmelling  savour. 
But  fornication,  and  all  uncleanness,  or  covetous-    3 
ness,  let  it  not  be  once  named  among  you,  as 
becometh  saints;     neither   filthiness,  nor  foolish    4 
talking,  nor  jesting,  which  are  not  convenient :  but 
rather  giving  of  thanks.    For  this  ye  know,  that  no    5 
whoremonger,  nor  unclean  person,   nor  covetous 
man,  who  is  an  idolater,  hath  any  inheritance  in 
the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  of  God.     Let  no  man    6 
deceive  you  with  vain  words  :  for  because  of  these 
things  cometh  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  children 
of  disobedience.     Be  not  ye  therefore  partakers    7 
with  them.     For  ye  were  sometimes  darkness,  but    8 
now  are  ye  light  in  the  Lord :   walk  as  children  of 
light :   (for  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  in  all  goodness    9 
and   righteousness   and   truth;)    proving   what  is  10 
acceptable  unto  the  Lord.    And  have  no  fellowship  u 
with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,  but  rather 
reprove  them.     For  it  is  a  shame  even  to  speak  of  12 
those  things  which  are  done  of  them  in  secret. 
But  all  things  that  are  reproved  are  made  manifest  13 
by  the  light :    for  whatsoever  doth  make  manifest 
is  light.     Wherefore  he  saith.   Awake   thou   that  14 
sleepest,   and   arise   from   the   dead,   and    Christ 
shall  give  thee  light. 

See  then  that  ye  walk  circumspectly,  not  as  15 
fools,  but  as  wise,  redeeming  the  time,  because  the  16 
days  are  evil.     Wherefore  be  ye  not  unwise,  but  17 


EPHESIANS  53 

i8  understanding  what  the  will  of  the  Lord  is.     And    Chap.  5 
be  not  drunk  with  wine,  wherein  is  excess ;  but  be 

19  filled  with  the  Spirit ;  speaking  to  yourselves  in 
psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  and 

20  making  melody  in  your  heart  to  the  Lord ;  giving 
thanks  always  for  all  things  unto  God  and  the 

21  Father  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  sub- 
mitting yourselves  one  to  another  in  the  fear  of  God. 

22  Wives,  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own  hus-  Husbands, 

23  bands,  as  unto  the  Lord.     For  the  husband  is  the  and^the 
head  of  the  wife,  even  as  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church. 

24  church  :  and  he  is  the  saviour  of  the  body.  There- 
fore as  the  church  is  subject  unto  Christ,  so  let  the 
wives  be  to  their  own  husbands  in  every  thing. 

25  Husbands,  love  your  wives,  even  as  Christ  also 

26  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it;  that  he 
might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of 

27  water  by  the  word,  that  he  might  present  it  to 
himself  a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot,  or 
wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing ;    but  that  it  should  be 

28  holy  and  without  blemish.  So  ought  men  to  love 
their  wives  as  their  own  bodies.     He  that  loveth 

29  his  wife  loveth  himself.  For  no  man  ever  yet 
hated  his  own  flesh  ;  but  nourisheth  and  cherisheth 

.-,0  it,  even  as  the  Lord  the  church :  for  we  are 
members  of  his  body,   of  his  flesh,  and   of  his 

31  bones.  For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  his  father 
and  mother,  and  shall  be  joined  unto  his  wife,  and 

32  they  two  shall  be  one  flesh.  This  is  a  great 
mystery :    but  I  speak  concerning  Christ  and  the 

33  church.  Nevertheless  let  every  one  of  you  in 
particular  so  love  his  wife  even  as  himself;  and 
the  wife  see  that  she  reverence  her  husband. 


54 


EPHESIANS 


Chap.  6  Children,  obey  your  parents  in  the  Lord :  for  6 
this  is  right.  Honour  thy  father  and  mother;  2 
which  is  the  first  commandment  with  promise; 
that  it  may  be  well  with  thee,  and  thou  mayest  3 
live  long  on  the  earth.  And,  ye  fathers,  provoke  4 
not  your  children  to  wrath  :  but  bring  them  up  in 
the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord. 

Servants,   be  obedient   to   them   that   are  your    5 
masters   according    to   the    flesh,    with    fear  and 
trembling,   in   singleness  of  your   heart,  as   unto 
Christ ;   not  with  eyeservice,  as  menpleasers ;   but    6 
as  the  servants  of  Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God 
from  the  heart ;   with  good  will  doing  service,  as  to    7 
the  Lord,  and  not  to  men :    knowing  that  what-    8 
soever  good  thing  any  man  doeth,  the  same  shall 
he  receive  of  the  Lord,  whether  he  be  bond  or  free. 
And,  ye  masters,  do  the  same  things  unto  them,    9 
forbearing  threatening :  knowing  that  your  Master 
also   is   in   heaven ;    neither   is   there   respect   of 
persons  with  him. 

Finally,  my  brethren,  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  10 
in  the  power  of  his  might.   Put  on  the  whole  armour  1 1 
of  God,    that   ye  may  be  able  to  stand  against 
the  wiles    of   the    devil.       For    we  wrestle   not  12 
against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  principalities, 
against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness 
of  this  world,  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high 
places.    Wherefore  take  unto  you  the  whole  armour  13 
of  God,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  withstand  in  the 
evil  day,  and  having  done  all,  to  stand.     Stand  14 
therefore,  having  your  loins  girt  about  with  truth, 
and  having  on  the  breastplate  of  righteousness ; 
and  your  feet  shod  with  the  preparation  of  the  15 


EPHESIANS  55 

i6  gospel  of  peace ;  above  all,  taking  the  shield  of  Chap.  6 
faith,  wherewith  ye  shall  be  able  to  quench  all  the 

17  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked.  And  take  the  helmet  of 
salvation,  and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the 
word  of  God : 

18  Praying  always  with  all  prayer  and  supplica-  Exhorta- 
tion  in  the  Spirit,  and  watching  thereunto  with  all  p^er. 

19  perseverance  and  supplication  for  all  saints;  and 
for  me,  that  utterance  may  be  given  unto  me,  that 
I  may  open  my  mouth  boldly,  to  make  known 

20  the  mystery  of  the  gospel,  for  which  I  am  an 
ambassador  in  bonds:  that  therein  I  may  speak 
boldly,  as  I  ought  to  speak. 

21  But  that  ye  also  may  know  my  affairs,  and  how  Commen- 
I  do,  Tychicus,  a  beloved  brother  and  faithful  xychScus. 
minister  in  the  Lord,  shall  make  known  to  you  all 

22  things :  whom  I  have  sent  unto  you  for  the  same 
purpose,  that  ye  might  know  our  affairs,  and  f/iaf 
he  might  comfort  your  hearts. 

23  Peace  de  to  the  brethren,  and  love  with  faith,  Closing 
from  God  the  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  dSuon. 

24  Grace  l>e  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity.     Amen. 

Written  from    Rome  unto  the    Ephesians   by 
Tychicus. 


THE  EPISTLE  OF  PAUL  THE  APOSTLE 


TO   THE 


COLOSSIANS 


Chap.  1  Paul,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ  by  the  will  of 
God,  and  Timotheus  our  brother,  to  the  saints  and 
faithful  brethren  in  Christ  which  are  at  Colosse : 
Grace  be  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  God  our 
Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

We  give  thanks  to  God  and  the  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  praying  always  for  you,  since  we 
heard  of  your  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  of  the  love 
which  ye  have  to  all  the  saints,  for  the  hope  which 
is  laid  up  for  you  in  heaven,  whereof  ye  heard 
before  in  the  word  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel; 
which  is  come  unto  you,  as  //  is  in  all  the  world ; 
and  bringeth  forth  fruit,  as  it  doth  also  in  you, 
since  the  day  ye  heard  of  it,  and  knew  the  grace 
of  God  in  truth :  as  ye  also  learned  of  Epaphras 
our  dear  fellowservant,  who  is  for  you  a  faithful 
minister  of  Christ ;  who  also  declared  unto  us  your 
love  in  the  Spirit. 

For  this  cause  we  also,  since  the  day  we  heard 
//,  do  not  cease  to  pray  for  you,  and  to  desire  that 
ye  might  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  his  will  in 
all  wisdom  and  spiritual  understanding;    that  ye 


lO 


COLOSSIANS  57 

might  walk  worthy  of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing,     Chap.  1 
being  fruitful  in  every  good  work,  and  increasing 

11  in  the  knowledge  of  God;  strengthened  with  all 
might,  according  to  his  glorious  power,  unto  all 
patience  and  longsuffering  with  joyfulness ; 

12  Giving  thanks  unto  the  Father,  which  hath  made  (/^)Thanks. 

,  1  /•     1       •    1       •  c    ^       giving  for 

US  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  mheritance  of  the  salvation. 

13  saints  in  hght:  who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power 
of  darkness,  and  hath  translated  us  into  the  king- 

14  dom  of  his  dear  Son  :  in  whom  we  have  redemption 
through  his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins : 

15  who  is  the  image  of  the  invisible  God,  the  first- 

16  born  of  every  creature  :  for  by  him  were  all  things 
created,  that  are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth, 
visible  and  invisible,  whether  f/iey  be  thrones,  or 
dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers  :    all  things 

1 7  were  created  by  him,  and  for  him :  and  he  is 
before  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things  consist. 

18  And  he  is  the  head  of  the  body,  the  church  :  who  (c)  Christ's 
is  the  beginning,  the  firstborn  from  the  dead ;  that  eminence 

19  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  preeminence.     For  jj^^^j^ 
it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  should  all  fulness 

20  dwell ;  and,  having  made  peace  through  the  blood 
of  his  cross,  by  him  to  reconcile  all  things  unto 
himself;  by  him,  /  say^  whether  they  be  things  in 
earth,  or  things  in  heaven. 

21  And  you,  that  were   sometime   alienated   and  (^  Their 
enemies  in  your  mind  by  wicked  works,  yet  now  t^e  work. 

22  hath  he  reconciled  in  the  body  of  his  flesh  through 
death,  to  present  you  holy  and  unblameable  and 

23  unreproveable  in  his  sight :  if  ye  continue  in  the 
faith  grounded  and  settled,  and  be  not  moved  away 
from  the  hope  of  the  gospel,  which  ye  have  heard, 


58 


COLOSSIANS 


Chap.  1  and  which  was  preached  to  every  creature  which  is 
under  heaven ; 

Whereof  I  Paul  am  made  a  minister ;  who  now 
rejoice  in  my  sufferings  for  you,  and  fill  up  that 
which  is  behind  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ  in  my 
flesh  for  his  body's  sake,  which  is  the  church : 
whereof  I  am  made  a  minister,  according  to  the 
dispensation  of  God  which  is  given  to  me  for  you, 
to  fulfil  the  word  of  God ;  even  the  mystery  which 
hath  been  hid  from  ages  and  from  generations,  but 
now  is  made  manifest  to  his  saints  :  to  whom  God 
would  make  known  what  is  the  riches  of  the  glory 
of  this  mystery  among  the  Gentiles ;  which  is 
Christ  in  you,  the  hope  of  glory  :  whom  we  preach, 
warning  every  man,  and  teaching  every  man  in  all 
wisdom  ;  that  we  may  present  every  man  perfect  in 
Christ  Jesus :  whereunto  lalso  labour,  strivingaccord- 
ing  to  his  working,  which  worketh  in  me  mightily. 

For  I  would  that  ye  knew  what  great  conflict  I 
have  for  you,  and^r  them  at  Laodicea,  and^r  as 
many  as  have  not  seen  my  face  in  the  flesh  ;  that 
their  hearts  might  be  comforted,  being  knit  together 
in  love,  and  unto  all  riches  of  the  full  assurance 
of  understanding,  to  the  acknowledgement  of  the 
mystery  of  God,  and  of  the  Father,  and  of  Christ ; 
in  whom  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and 
knowledge.  And  this  I  say,  lest  any  man  should 
beguile  you  with  enticing  words.  For  though  I  be 
absent  in  the  flesh,  yet  am  I  with  you  in  the  spirit, 
joying  and  beholding  your  order,  and  the  stedfast- 
ness  of  your  faith  in  Christ. 

As  ye  have  therefore  received  Christ  Jesus  the 
Lord,  so  walk  ye  in  him :  rooted  and  built  up  in 


24 

25 
26 


2S 
29 

2 


COLOSSIANS  59 

him,  and  stablished  in  the  faith,  as  ye  have  been    chap.  2 

8  taught,  abounding  therein  with  thanksgiving.  Be- 
ware  lest  any  man  spoil  you  through  philosophy 
and  vain  deceit,  after  the  tradition  of  men,  after 
the  rudiments  of  the  world,  and  not  after  Christ. 

9  For  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead 

10  bodily.     And  ye  are  complete  in  him,  which  is  the 

11  head  of  all  principality  and  power:  in  whom  also 
ye  are  circumcised  with  the  circumcision  made 
without  hands,  in  putting  off  the  body  of  the  sins 

12  of  the  flesh  by  the  circumcision  of  Christ:  buried 
with  him  in  baptism,  wherein  also  ye  are  risen  with 
him  through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  who 

13  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead.  And  you,  being 
dead  in  your  sins  and  the  uncircumcision  of  your 
flesh,  hath  he  quickened  together  with  him,  having 

14  forgiven  you  all  trespasses ;  blotting  out  the  hand- 
writing of  ordinances  that  was  against  us,  which 
was  contrary  to  us,  and  took  it  out  of  the  way, 

15  nailing  it  to  his  cross;  and  having  spoiled  princi- 
palities and  powers,  he  made  a  shew  of  them 
openly,  triumphing  over  them  in  it. 

16  Let  no  man  therefore  judge  you  in  meat,  or  in  The 
drink,  or  in  respect  of  an  holyday,  or  of  the  new  |ndthe 

17  moon,  or  of  the  sabbath  days :  which  area  shadow  substance. 

18  of  things  to  come ;  but  the  body  is  of  Christ.  Let 
no  man  beguile  you  of  your  reward  in  a  voluntary 
humility  and  worshipping  of  angels,  intruding  into 
those  things  which  he  hath  not  seen,  vainly  puffed 

19  up  by  his  fleshly  mind,  and  not  holding  the  Head, 
from  which  all  the  body  by  joints  and  bands  having 
nourishment  ministered,  and  knit  together,  in- 
creaseth  with  the  increase  of  God. 


6o  COLOSSIANS 

Chap.  2        Wherefore  if  ye  be  dead  with  Christ  from  the  20 
Death  and  rudiments  of  the  world,  why,  as  though  living  in 
life  in         the  world,  are  ye  subject  to  ordinances,  (touch  not ;  21 
taste  not ;  handle  not ;  which  all  are  to  perish  with  22 
the  using ;)  after  the  commandments  and  doctrines 
of  men  ?    Which  things  have  indeed  a  shew  of  23 
wisdom  in  will  worship,  and  humility,  and  neglect- 
ing  of  the    body ;    not    in    any   honour    to   the 
satisfying  of  the  flesh.     If  ye  then  be  risen  with    3 
Christ,  seek  those  things  which  are  above,  where 
Christ  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God.     Set  your    2 
affection  on  things  above,  not  on  things  on  the 
earth.     For  ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with    3 
Christ  in  God.     When  Christ,  who  is  our  life,  shall    4 
appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory. 
Putting  on      Mortify  therefore  your  members  which  are  upon     5 
the    earth ;    fornication,    uncleanness,    inordinate 
affection,    evil   concupiscence,   and    covetousness, 
which  is  idolatry  :  for  which  things'  sake  the  wrath    6 
of  God  cometh  on  the  children  of  disobedience : 
in  the  which  ye  also  walked  some  time,  when  ye    7 
lived  in  them.     But  now  ye  also  put  off  all  these ;    8 
anger,  wrath,  malice,  blasphemy,  filthy  communica- 
tion out  of  your  mouth.     Lie  not  one  to  another,    9 
seeing  that  ye  have  put  off  the  old  man  with  his 
deeds ;    and  have  put  on  the  new  man,  which  is  10 
renewed  in  knowledge  after  the  image  of  him  that 
created  him:    where  there  is  neither  Greek  nor  11 
Jew,  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision.  Barbarian, 
Scythian,  bond  nor  free :    but  Christ  is  all,  and 
in  all. 
The  gar-         Put  on  therefore,  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy  and  12 
holiness^,    beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness,  humbleness 


COLOSSIANS  6i 

13  of  mind,  meekness,  longsuffering ;    forbearing  one    Chap.  3 
another,   and   forgiving  one  another,  if  any  man 

have  a  quarrel  against  any  :  even  as  Christ  forgave 

14  you,  so  also  do  ye.  And  above  all  these  things 
put  071  charity,  which  is  the  bond  of  perfectness. 

15  And  let  the  peace  of  God  rule  in  your  hearts,  to 
the  which  also  ye  are  called  in  one  body ;   and  be 

16  ye  thankful.  Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you 
richly  in  all  wisdom;  teaching  and  admonishing 
one  another  in  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual 
songs,   singing  with  grace  in  your  hearts  to  the 

17  Lord.  And  whatsoever  ye  do  in  word  or  deed,  do 
all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  giving  thanks 
to  God  and  the  Father  by  him. 

18  Wives,  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own  hus-  Practical 

19  bands,  as  it  is  fit  in  the  Lord.     Husbands,  love  P"*^®p'** 
your   wives,    and    be    not    bitter    against    them. 

30  Children,  obey  your  parents,  in  all  things  :  for  this 
21  is  well  pleasing  unto  the  Lord.     Fathers,  provoke 

not  your  children  to  anger,  lest  they  be  discouraged. 
2  2  Servants,  obey  in  all  things  your  masters  according 

to  the  flesh ;  not  with  eyeservice,  as  menpleasers  ; 

23  but  in  singleness  of  heart,  fearing  God :  and 
whatsoever  ye  do,  do  it  heartily,  as  to  the  Lord, 

24  and  not  unto  men  \  knowing  that  of  the  Lord  ye 
shall  receive  the  reward  of  the  inheritance  :  for  ye 

25  serve  the  Lord  Christ.  But  he  that  doeth  wrong 
shall  receive  for  the  wrong  which  he  hath  done : 

4  and  there  is  no  respect  of  persons.  Masters,  give 
unto  your  servants  that  which  is  just  and  equal ; 
knowing  that  ye  also  have  a  Master  in  heaven. 

2  Continue  in  prayer,  and  watch  in  the  same  with  Exhorta 

3  thanksgiving ;  withal  praying  also  for  us,  that  God  p°ay^jj° 


62  COLOSSIANS 

Chap.  4    would  open  unto  us  a  door  of  utterance,  to  speak 
the  mystery  of  Christ,  for  which  I  am  also  in  bonds  : 
that  I  may  make  it  manifest,  as  I  ought  to  speak.    4 
Walk  in  wisdom  toward  them  that  are  without,     5 
redeeming  the  time.     Let  your  speech  be  alway    6 
with  grace,  seasoned  with  salt,  that  ye  may  know 
how  ye  ought  to  answer  every  man. 
Commen-        All  my  State  shall  Tychicus  declare  unto  you,     7 
saiutaUon,  "^^^^  ^^  ^  beloved  brother,  and  a  faithful  minister 
and  bene-   ^nd  fellowservant  in  the  Lord :  whom  I  have  sent    8 

diction. 

unto  you  for  the  same   purpose,  that   he  might 
know  your  estate,  and  comfort  your  hearts ;  with    9 
Onesimus,  a  faithful  and  beloved  brother,  who  is 
one  of  you.     They  shall  make  known  unto  you  all 
things  which  are  done  here.    Aristarchus  my  fellow-  10 
prisoner  saluteth  you,  and  Marcus,  sister's  son  to 
Barnabas,  (touching  whom  ye  received  command- 
ments:   if  he  come  unto  you,  receive  him;)  and  11 
Jesus,   which   is   called   Justus,    who  are   of   the 
circumcision.     These  only  are  my   fellowworkers 
unto  the  kingdom  of  God,  which   have  been  a 
comfort  unto  me.     Epaphras,  who  is  one  of  you,  12 
a  servant  of  Christ,  saluteth  you,  always  labouring 
fervently  for  you  in  prayers,  that  ye  may  stand 
perfect  and  complete  in  all  the  will  of  God.     For  13 
I  bear  him  record,  that  he  hath  a  great  zeal  for 
you,  and  them  that  are  in  Laodicea,  and  them 
in  Hierapolis.     Luke,  the  beloved  physician,  and  14 
Demas,  greet  you.     Salute  the  brethren  which  are  15 
in  Laodicea,  and  Nymphas,  and  the  church  which 
is  in  his  house.     And  when  this  epistle  is  read  16 
among  you,  cause  that  it  be  read  also  in  the  church 
of  the  Laodiceans ;  and  that  ye  likewise  read  the 


COLOSSIANS  63 

epistle   from    Laodicea.      And   say   to   Archippus,    Chap.  4 
Take  heed  to  the  ministry  which  thou  hast  received 
in  the  Lord,  that  thou  fulfil  it.     The  salutation  by 
the   hand   of  me   Paul.     Remember  my   bonds. 
Grace  be  with  you.     Amen. 

Written  from  Rome  to  the  Colossians  by  Tychicus 
and  Onesimus. 


THE    EPISTLE    OF    PAUL    TO 

PHILEMON 


Opening         Paul,  a  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  Timothy     i 

t£n^^^"       ^^^^  brother,  unto  Philemon  our  dearly  beloved, 

and  fellowlabourer,  and  to  our  beloved  Apphia,     2 

and  Archippus  our  fellowsoldier,  and  to  the  church 

in  thy  house  :   Grace  to  you,  and  peace,  from  God    3 

our  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Paul's  I  thank  my  God,  making  mention  of  thee  always    4 

givSig^and  '^^  "^Y  Players,  hearing  of  thy  love  and  faith,  which    5 

prayer  for  thou  hast  toward  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  toward  all 
bis  friend.  ,  ,  .       ,  .    ,        .  .  , 

samts ;    that  the  communication  of  thy  faith  may    6 

become  effectual  by  the  acknowledging  of  every 

good  thing  which  is  in  you  in  Christ  Jesus.     For    7 

we  have  great  joy  and  consolation   in  thy  love, 

because  the  bowels  of  the  saints  are  refreshed  by 

thee,  brother. 

Plea  for         Wherefore,  though  I  might  be  much  bold  in    8 

Onesunus.  (;;hj-ist  to  enjoin  thee  that  which  is  convenient,  yet    9 

for  love's  sake  I  rather  beseech  thee^  being  such  an 

one  as  Paul  the  aged,  and  now  also  a  prisoner  of 

Jesus  Christ.    I  beseech  thee  for  my  son  Onesimus,  10 

whom  I  have  begotten  in  my  bonds  :  which  in  time  11 

past  was  to  thee  unprofitable,  but  now  profitable  to 

thee  and  to  me:  whom  I  have  sent  again:   thou  12 


PHILEMON  65 

therefore  receive  him,  that  is,  mine  own  bowels : 

13  whom  I  would  have  retained  with  me,  that  in  thy 
stead  he  might  have  ministered  unto  me  in  the 

14  bonds  of  the  gospel :  but  without  thy  mind  would 
I  do  nothing;    that  thy  benefit  should  not  be  as 

15  it  were  of  necessity,  but  willingly.  For  perhaps  he 
therefore  departed  for  a  season,  that  thou  shouldest 

16  receive  him  for  ever;  not  now  as  a  servant,  but 
above  a  servant,  a  brother  beloved,  specially  to  me, 
but  how  much  more  unto  thee,  both  in  the  flesh, 

17  and  in  the  Lord?  If  thou  count  me  therefore  a 
partner,  receive  him  as  myself. 

18  If  he  hath  wronged  thee,  or  oweth  thee  ought,  Promise 

19  put  that  on  mine  account;  I  Paul  have  written  it^^^^^^^^ 
with  mine  own  hand,  I  will  repay  //;    albeit  I  do  s^ar- 
not  say  to  thee  how  thou  owest  unto  me  even 

20  thine  own  self  besides.  Yea,  brother,  let  me  have 
joy  of  thee  in  the  Lord :   refresh  my  bowels  in 

21  the  Lord.  Having  confidence  in  thy  obedience 
I  wrote  unto  thee,  knowing  that  thou  wilt  also 

22  do  more  than  I  say.  But  withal  prepare  me  also 
a  lodging :  for  I  trust  that  through  your  prayers  I 
shall  be  given  unto  you. 

23  There  salute  thee  Epaphras,  my  fellowprisoner  Closing 

24  in   Christ    Jesus ;     Marcus,    Aristarchus,    Demas,  Ind^^ene" 

25  Lucas,  my  fellowlabourers.    The  grace  of  our  Lord  diction. 
Jesus  Christ  be  with  your  spirit.     Amen. 

Written  from  Rome  to  Philemon,  by  Onesimus 
a  servant. 


(8) 


THE  EPISTLE  OF  PAUL  THE  APOSTLE 


TO    THE 


PHILIPPIANS 


Chap.  1        Paul  and   Timotheus,   the   servants   of   Jesus 
Opening     Christ,  to  all  the  saints  in  Christ  Jesus  which  are 
saiuta-       at  Philippi,  with  the  bishops  and  deacons  :    Grace 
be  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  God  our  Father,  and 
from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Thanks-         I  thank  my  God  upon  every  remembrance  of 
prayfr.      yo">  always  in  every  prayer  of  mine  for  you  all 
making  request  with  joy,  for  your  fellowship  in  the 
gospel  from  the  first  day  until  now;  being  confident 
of  this  very  thing,  that  he  which  hath  begun  a  good 
work  in  you  will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus 
Christ :    even  as  it  is  meet  for  me  to  think  this  of    7 
you  all,  because  I  have  you  in  my  heart ;  inasmuch 
as  both  in  my  bonds,   and   in  the  defence  and 
confirmation  of  the  gospel,  ye  all  are  partakers  of 
my  grace.     For  God  is  my  record,  how  greatly  I    S 
long  after  you  all  in  the  bowels  of  Jesus  Christ. 
And  this  I  pray,  that  your  love  may  abound  yet    9 
more  and  more  in  knowledge  and  in  all  judgment ; 
that  ye  may  approve  things  that  are  excellent ;  that  10 
ye  may  be  sincere  and  without  offence  till  the  day 
of  Christ;  being  filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteous-  n 


PHILIPPIANS  67 

ness,  which  are  by  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  and    Chap.  1 
praise  of  God. 

12  But  I  would  ye  should  understand,  brethren,  state  of 
that  the  things  ivhich  happened  unto  me  have  fallen  JJ  r|^J®' 

13  out  rather  unto  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel;  so 
that  my  bonds  in  Christ  are  manifest  in  all  the 

14  palace,  and  in  all  other  places ;  and  many  of  the 
brethren  in  the  Lord,  waxing  confident  by  my 
bonds,  are  much  more  bold  to  speak  the  word 

15  without  fear.     Some  indeed  preach  Christ  even  of 

16  envy  and  strife ;  and  some  also  of  good  will :  the 
one  preach   Christ  of  contention,  not   sincerely, 

17  supposing  to  add  affliction  to  my  bonds:  but  the 
other  of  love,  knowing  that  I  am  set  for  the 
defence  of  the  gospel. 

18  What  then?  notwithstanding,  every  way,  whether  Paul's 
in  pretence,  or  in  truth,  Christ  is  preached ;  and  I  circum- 

19  therein  do  rejoice,  yea,  and  will  rejoice.     For  I  stances, 
know  that  this  shall  turn  to  my  salvation  through 

your  prayer,  and  the  supply  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus 

20  Christ,  according  to  my  earnest  expectation  and  my 
hope,  that  in  nothing  I  shall  be  ashamed,  but  that 
with  all  boldness,  as  always,  so  now  also  Christ 
shall  be  magnified  in  my  body,  whether  it  be  by  life, 

21  or  by  death.     For  to  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to 

22  die  is  gain.  But  if  I  Hve  in  the  flesh,  this  is  the 
fruit  of  my  labour :   yet  what  I  shall  choose  I  wot 

23  not.  For  I  am  in  a  strait  betwixt  two,  having 
a  desire  to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ ;  which  is 

24  far  better :    nevertheless  to  abide  in  the  flesh  is 

25  more  needful  for  you.  And  having  this  confidence, 
I  know  that  I  shall  abide  and  continue  with  you 

26  all  for  your  furtherance  and  joy  of  faith  j  that  your 

F  2 


68 


PHILIPPIANS 


Chap.  1    rejoicing  may  be  more  abundant  in  Jesus  Christ 
for  me  by  my  coming  to  you  again. 

Only  let  your  conversation  be  as  it  becometh  27 
the  gospel  of  Christ :    that  whether  I  come  and  see 
you,  or  else  be  absent,  I  may  hear  of  your  affairs, 
that  ye  stand  fast  in  one  spirit,  with  one  mind 
striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the  gospel ;  and  in  28 
nothing  terrified  by  your  adversaries  :    which  is  to 
them  an  evident  token  of  perdition,  but  to  you  of 
salvation,  and  that  of  God.     For  unto  you  it  is  29 
given  in  the  behalf  of  Christ,  not  only  to  believe 
on  him,  but  also  to  suffer  for  his  sake ;    having  the  30 
same  conflict  which  ye  saw  in  me,  and  now  hear  to 
be  in  me. 

If  there  be  therefore  any  consolation  in  Christ,  if    2 
any  comfort  of  love,  if  any  fellowship  of  the  Spirit, 
if  any  bowels  and  mercies,  fulfil  ye  my  joy,  that  ye    2 
be  likeminded,  having  the  same  love,  being  of  one 
accord,  of  one  mind.     Let  nothing  be  done  through    3 
strife  or  vainglory;   but  in  lowliness  of  mind  let 
each  esteem  other  better  than  themselves.     Look    4 
not  every  man  on  his  own  things,  but  every  man 
also  on  the  things  of  others.     Let  this  mind  be  in    5 
you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus  :  who,  being  in    6 
the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal 
with  God  :  but  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and    7 
took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made 
in  the  likeness  of  men  :  and  being  found  in  fashion    8 
as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient 
unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross.     Wherefore    9 
God  also  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him 
a  name  which  is  above  every  name :  that  at  the  10 
name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of  things 


PHILIPPIANS  69 

in  heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things  under  the     Chap.  2 
ir  earth;    and  that  cwQxy  tongue  should  confess  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,   to   the   glory  of  God  the 
Father. 

12  Wherefore,    my    beloved,   as    ye    have    always  Exhorta- 
obeyed,    not   as   in  my   presence  only,   but   now  shew  forth 
much  more  in  my  absence,  work  out  your  own  ^^"st. 

13  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.  For  it  is  God 
which  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his 

14  good  pleasure.     Do  all  things  without  murmurings 

15  and  disputings :  that  ye  may  be  blameless  and 
harmless,  the  sons  of  God,  without  rebuke,  in  the 
midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  nation,  among 

16  whom  ye  shine  as  lights  in  the  world;  holding 
forth  the  word  of  life ;  that  I  may  rejoice  in  the 
day  of  Christ,  that  I  have  not  run  in  vain,  neither 

17  laboured  in  vain.  Yea,  and  if  I  be  offered  upon 
the  sacrifice  and  service  of  your  faith,  I  joy,  and 

t8  rejoice  with  you  all.  For  the  same  cause  also  do 
ye  joy,  and  rejoice  with  me. 

19  But  I  trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus  to  send  Timotheus  probable 
shortly  unto   you,   that   I   also  may   be  of  good  J^e^ts  of 

20  comfort,  when  I  know  your  state.     For  I  have  no  Paul  and 
man  likeminded,  who  will  naturally  care  for  your    ""°    ^' 

21  state.    For  all  seek  their  own,  not  the  things  which 

22  are  Jesus  Christ's.  But  ye  know  the  proof  of  him, 
that,  as  a  son  with  the  father,  he  hath  served  with 

23  me  in  the  gospel.  Him  therefore  I  hope  to  send 
presently,  so  soon  as  I  shall  see  how  it  will  go  with 

24  me.  But  I  trust  in  the  Lord  that  I  also  myself 
shall  come  shortly. 

25  Yet    I   supposed   it  necessary   to  send   to   you  Mission  of 
Epaphroditus,    my    brother,    and    companion    in  dUus?^° 


70  PHILIPPIANS 

Chap.  2    labour,  and  fellowsoldier,  but  your  messenger,  and 

he  that  ministered  to  my  wants.     For  he  longed  26 
after  you  all,  and  was  full  of  heaviness,  because 
that  ye  had  heard  that  he  had  been  sick.     For  27 
indeed  he  was  sick  nigh  unto  death:    but  God 
had  mercy  on  him;    and  not  on  him  only,  but 
on  me  also,  lest  I  should  have  sorrow  upon  sorrow. 
I   sent   him    therefore  the    more  carefully,   that,  28 
when  ye  see  him  again,  ye  may  rejoice,  and  that  I 
may  be  the  less  sorrowful.     Receive  him  therefore  29 
in  the  Lord  with  all  gladness ;    and  hold  such  in 
reputation  :   because  for  the  work  of  Christ  he  was  30 
nigh  unto  death,  not  regarding  his  life,  to  supply 
your    lack  of   service  toward    me.     Finally,   my    3 
brethren,  rejoice  in  the  Lord. 
A  warning      To  write  the  same  things  to  you,  to  me  indeed 
faise"^       is  not  grievous,  but  for  you  //  is  safe.     Beware  of    2 
teachers,    ^ogs,  beware  of  evil  workers,  beware  of  the  con- 
cision.   For  we  are  the  circumcision,  which  worship    3 
God  in  the  spirit,  and  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh. 
Paul's  Though  I  might  also  have  confidence  in  the    4 

setasMe    Aesh.     If  any  other  man  thinketh  that  he  hath 
for  Christ,  vvhereof   he  might    trust   in   the  flesh,   I   more: 

circumcised  the  eighth  day,  of  the  stock  of  Israel,    5 
of  the  tribe   of   Benjamin,   an    Hebrew   of  the 
Hebrews ;  as  touching  the  law,  a  Pharisee ;  con-    6 
cerning  zeal,  persecuting  the  church ;  touching  the 
righteousness    which    is    in    the    law,    blameless. 
But  what  things  were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted    7 
loss  for  Christ.     Yea  doubtless,  and  I  count  all    8 
things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge 
of  Christ    Jesus   my    Lord :     for  whom    I    have 


PHILIPPIANS  71 

suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do  count  them    Chap.  3 
9  but  dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in 
him,  not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is 
of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of 
Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith  : 

10  that  I  may  know  him,  and  the  power  of  his 
resurrection,  and  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings, 

1 1  being  made  conformable  unto  his  death ;  if  by  any 
means  I  might  attain  unto  the  resurrection  of  the 

12  dead.  Not  as  though  I  had  already  attained, 
either  were  already  perfect:  but  I  follow  after,  if 
that  I  may  apprehend  that  for  which  also  I  am 

13  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus.  Brethren,  I  count 
not  myself  to  have  apprehended :  but  this  one 
thing  /  do^  forgetting  those  things  which  are 
behind,   and    reaching    forth    unto    those    things 

14  which  are  before,  I  press  toward  the  mark  for  the 
prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. 

15  Let  us  therefore,  as  many  as  be  perfect,  be  thus  The  true 
minded ;    and   if  in  any   thing  ye   be  otherwise  cuLtns*^  °^ 
minded,   God   shall    reveal  even   this   unto  you.  of  heaven. 

16  Nevertheless,  whereto  we  have  already  attained, 
let  us  walk  by  the  same  rule,  let  us  mind  the  same 

17  thing.  Brethren,  be  followers  together  of  me,  and 
mark  them  which  walk  so  as  ye  have  us  for  an 

18  ensample.  (For  many  walk,  of  whom  I  have  told 
you  often,  and  now  tell  you  even  weeping,  that 

19  they  are  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ :  whose 
end  is  destruction,  whose  God  is  their  belly,  and 
whose  glory  is  in  their  shame,  who  mind  earthly 

20  things.)  For  our  conversation  is  in  heaven  ;  from 
whence  also  we  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord 

21  Jesus  Christ :  who  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that 


72 


PHILIPPIANS 


Chap.  3  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body, 
according  to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able  even 
to  subdue  all  things  unto  himself.  Therefore,  my  4 
brethren  dearly  beloved  and  longed  for,  my  joy 
and  crown,  so  stand  fast  in  the  Lord,  my  dearly 
beloved. 

I  beseech  Euodias,  and  beseech  Syntyche,  that    2 
they  be  of  the  same  mind  in  the  Lord.     And  I    3 
intreat    thee    also,    true    yokefellow,    help    those 
women  which  laboured  with  me  in  the  gospel,  with 
Clement  also,  and  with  other  my  fellowlabourers, 
whose  names  are  in  the  book  of  life. 

Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway :    and  again  I  say,    4 
Rejoice.     Let   your   moderation   be   known  unto    5 
all  men.     The  Lord  is  at  hand.     Be  careful  for    6 
nothing ;   but  in  every  thing  by  prayer  and  suppli- 
cation with  thanksgiving  let  your  requests  be  made 
known  unto  God.     And  the  peace  of  God,  which    7 
passeth  all  understanding,  shall  keep  your  hearts 
and  minds  through  Christ  Jesus.    Finally,  brethren,    8 
whatsoever  things  are  true,  whatsoever  things  are 
honest,   whatsoever    things    are   just,   whatsoever 
things    are    pure,   whatsoever    things   are    lovely, 
whatsoever  things  are  of  good  report ;    if  there  be 
any  virtue,  and  if  there  be  any  praise,  think  on 
these  things.     Those  things,  which  ye  have  both    9 
learned,  and  received,  and  heard,  and  seen  in  me, 
do  :  and  the  God  of  peace  shall  be  with  you. 

But  I  rejoiced  in  the  Lord  greatly,  that  now  at  10 
the  last  your  care  of  me  hath   flourished  again; 
wherein  ye  were  also  careful,  but  ye  lacked  oppor- 
tunity.    Not  that  I  speak  in  respect  of  want :  for  I  1 1 
have  learned,  in  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith 


Acknow- 
ledgement 
ofPhilip- 
pians'  gen- 
erosity. 


PHILIPPIANS  73 

12  to  be  content.     I  know  both  how  to  be  abased,    Chap.  4 
and  I  know  how  to  abound  :    every  where  and  in 

all  things  I  am  instructed  both  to  be  full  and  to  be 

13  hungry,  both  to  abound  and  to  suffer  need.  I  can 
do  all  things  through  Christ  which  strengtheneth 

14  me.     Notwithstanding    ye    have    well    done,  that 

15  ye  did  communicate  with  my  affliction.  Now  ye 
Philippians  know  also,  that  in  the  beginning  of 
the  gospel,  when  I  departed  from  Macedonia,  no 
church    communicated    with    me    as    concerning 

16  giving  and  receiving,  but  ye  only.  For  even  in 
Thessalonica   ye  sent   once   and   again  unto  my 

17  necessity.     Not  because   I  desire  a  gift:    but   I 

18  desire  fruit  that  may  abound  to  your  account.  But 
I  have  all,  and  abound  :  I  am  full,  having  received 
of  Epaphroditus  the  things  which  were  sent  from 
you,  an  odour  of  a  sweet  smell,  a  sacrifice  accept- 

19  able,  wellpleasing  to  God.  But  my  God  shall 
supply  all  your  need  according  to  his  riches  in 

20  glory  by  Christ  Jesus.  Now  unto  God  and  our 
Father  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

21  Salute  every  saint  in  Christ  Tesus.    The  brethren  Closing 

saluta- 

22  which  are  with  me  greet  you.     All  the  saints  salute  tions  and 
you,    chiefly    they    that    are    of    Caesar's    house-  ^Q^g^**^' 

23  hold.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with 
you  all.     Amen. 

It  was  written  to  the  Philippians  from  Rome  by 
Epaphroditus. 


THE  EPISTLES  OF  PAUL  THE  APOSTLE 


TO   THE 


EPHESIANS,  COLOSSIANS 
PHILEMON,  AND  PHILIPPIANS 

REVISED  VERSION  WITH  ANNOTATIONS 


THE  EPISTLE  OF  PAUL  THE  APOSTLE 


TO    THE 


EPHESIANS 

Paul,  an  apostle  of  Christ  Jesus  through  the  will  of  1 
God,  to  the  saints  which  are  at  Ephesus,  and  the  faithful 

i.   1,2.     Opening  greeting  and  benediction. 

[On  the  general  form  of  a  Greek  letter  see  the  Introduction,  p.  4.] 

it  is  interesting  and  instructive  carefully  to  compare  the 
greetings  of  Paul's  various  Epistles.  They  may  be  classified  as 
follows  : — 

(i)  Those  that  vindicate  his  apostleship,  and  define  the  scope 
of  the  gospel  message,  viz.  Rom.  i.  1-7,  the  most  elaborate  of  all, 
on  which  see  note  in  Mr.  Garvie's  volume  in  this  series,  as  also 
the  corresponding  notes  on  the  other  Epistles. 

Gal.  i.  1-5,  which  foreshadows  the  central  positions  of  the 
argument,  and  may  be  termed  the  most  polemical. 

2  Tim.  i.  1,2,  which  in  its  expression  '  the  promise  of  life '  sets 
the  note  of  glad  anticipation  that  recurs  throughout  the  letter. 

Titus  i.  1-4,  which  lays  stress  upon  the  inward  authority  of  his 
apostolic  office  as  a  teacher,  and  so  gives  the  best  vindication  of 
the  counsels  that  follow^. 

(2)  Those  that  mention  his  apostleship  and  give  a  definite 
characterization  of  his  correspondents,  viz.  i  Cor.  i.  1-3  ;  2  Cor. 
i.  I,  2;  Eph.  i,  I,  2 ;  Col.  i.  i,  2;  i  Tim.  i.  i,  2.  (On  the  contrast 
in  style  between  this  salutation  and  that  of  2  Timothy  see  notes 
on  the  respective  Epistles.) 

(3)  Those  that  are  without  any  mention  of  his  apostleship,  viz. 
Phil.  i.  I,  2  ;  I  Thess.  i.  i  ;  2  Thess.  i.  i,  a ;  Philem.  1-3. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  only  in  this  Epistle  and  in  that  to  the 
Romans  does  Paul's  name  stand  alone  in  the  opening  greeting. 
For  the  omission  of  the  words  'at  Ephesus' see  Introduction,  p.  17, 
to  the  saints  .  .  .  and  the  faithful :  probably  these  are  not 
two  classes,  but  one — '  faithful  saints,'  *  worthy  believers.'  Cf. 
Col.  i.  I,  '  the  saints  and  faithful  brethren.' 


78  TO  THE  EPHESL\NS   1.  2,  3 

2  in  Christ  Jesus :   Grace  to  you  and  peace  from  God  our 
Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

3  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 

i,  3-18.  A  Great  Act  of  Thanksgiving. 

(a)  3-6.     The  Father's  deliberate  choice  of  sons  in  Christ. 

(p)  7-13*'     ^^'^  spiritual  gifts  that  follow,  all  summed  up  in 
Christ. 

(c)  13**,  14.     These  gifts  secured  by  the  pledge  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

As  is  customary  in  Paul's  Epistles  a  thanksgiving  follows  the 
introductory  sentences.  In  this  instance  it  is  long,  complicated, 
and  elaborate.  Lightfoot  considers  that  it  here  '  takes  a  more 
general  form,  corresponding  to  the  character  and  destination  of 
the  letter,'  as  intended  for  a  number  of  churches.  Its  use  of  the 
word  '  bless '  in  place  of  '  give  thanks '  is  also  remarkable.  Only 
one  parallel  case  exists,  that,  namely,  of  2  Cor.  i.  3,  *  Blessed  be 
the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,'  &c.  The  general 
sense  of  the  whole  passage  is  as  follows.  Man's  deepest  and 
truest  thanks  are  due  to  God  the  Father,  who  in  His  Son  Jesus 
Christ  has  shared  with  men  the  gifts  of  heaven.  From  all  eternity 
He  has  seen  in  the  perfect  and  holy  Son  the  ideal  of  humanity, 
and  destined  men  for  that  same  glorious  sonship,  of  which  in  the 
freedom  of  His  love  He  has  purposed  they  should  be  partakers. 
Through  the  gift  of  His  Son  to  the  world  He  has  made  sonship 
possible,  not  only  by  redemption  and  forgiveness,  but  by  enduing 
the  renewed  nature  of  men  w^ith  the  wisdom  and  prudence — the 
power  to  grasp  the  mysteries  of  the  Divine  secrets,  which  Christ 
alone  held  in  his  own  right,  but  has  graciously  given  men, 
through  their  becoming  partakers  in  his  own  nature.  This 
privilege  is  the  lot  of  all,  without  exception,  who  trust  in  Christ. 
This  also  the  readers  of  the  Epistle  know  by  experience,  and 
have  an  additional  testimony  to  the  fact  in  the  indwelling  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  who  assures  them  of  the  perfecting  of  the  work  of 
God  begun  in  them. 

The  whole  passage  is  of  immense  importance  as  containing 
a  clear  statement  of  Paul's  doctrine  of  God's  choice  of  men  in 
Christ  *  before  the  foundation  of  the  world';  in  a  word,  of  the 
doctrine  of  Predestination.  It  enables  us  to  see  how  grand 
a  foundation  it  gives  to  the  superstructure  of  the  Pauline  gospel, 
and  that,  far  from  lowering  the  conception  of  human  nature  and 
freedom,  it  exalts  it  infinitely  beyond  what  any  other  conception 
could  effect.  Christ,  the  Ideal  Man,  makes  ideal  manhood  after 
God's  pattern — efficient  for  every  one  who  will  exert  his  power 
of  choice  along  the  lines  of  the  Divine  purpose.     The  philosophy 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS   1.  4  79 

Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us  with  every  spiritual  blessing 
in  the  heavenly  places  in  Christ :   even  as  he  chose  us  in  4 

has  been  grasped  and  tersely  expressed  in  the  familiar  couplet  of 
In  Memoriam : — 

*  Our  wills  are  ours,  we  know  not  how ; 
Our  wills  are  ours,  to  make  tbem  thine'.' 

But  Paul  believes  he  knows  how  our  wills  are  ours— they 
are  the  gift  of  the  Divine  Will.  Thus  Kant's  great  saying  is 
vindicated,  *  Nothing  can  be  conceived  in  the  world,  or  even 
out  of  it,  which  can  be  called  good  without  qualification,  except 
a  Good  Will  2.' 

3.  the  God  and  Father  of  our  liord  Jesus  Christ.  For  this 
form  of  expression  cf.  Rom.  xv.  6;  2  Cor.  i.  3,  &c.  It  seems  to 
have  distinct  reference  to  our  Lord's  frequent  teaching  that  God 
is  our  Father  through  him  (cf.  John  xx.  17,  xvii.  21 ;  Matt.  xi. 
25-27).  We  here  note  the  first  of  numerous  resemblances  to 
the  language  and  idea  of  the  First  Epistle  of  Peter  which  this 
Epistle  presents  ;  cf,  i  Pet.  i.  2,  and  also  the  notes  on  verse  4, 
ii.  2,  iii.  10,  V.  I,  vi.  7.  The  connexion  is  shewn  more,  says 
Dr.  Hort,  *■  by  identities  of  thought  and  similarity  in  the  structure 
of  the  two  Epistles  as  wholes  than  by  identities  of  phrase,'  and 
again,  *  The  true  key  to  not  a  few  difficult  passages  of  St.  Peter  is  to 
be  found  in  tracing  back  the  thought  to  its  origin  in  one  or  both 
of  these  two  Epistles  [Romans  and  Ephesians]  of  St.  Paul,  This 
importance  of  theirs,  it  cannot  be  too  often  repeated,  is  not 
accidental.  They  are  precisely  the  two  most  comprehensive  and 
fundamental  of  all  St.  Paul's  Epistles,  and  they  are  connected  much 
more  closely  together  in  their  drift  than  appears  on  the  surface  ^' 
For  a  further  discussion  of  the  subject  Hort's  Prolegomena  is 
worthy  of  careful  study. 

The  most  recent  writer  on  the  subject  (Dr.  C,  Bigg  in  the 
International  Commentary  on  the  Epistles  of  Peter)  thinks  that  the 
significance  of  these  similarities  in  language  has  been  exaggerated. 
In  Ephesians,  he  says,  we  have  the  language  of  a  *  mystic,'  while 
in  I  Peter  we  have  the  thoughts  of  a  '  practical  pastor.' 

in  the  heavenly  places :  ///.  *  in  the  heavenlies ' :  cf.  verse  20, 
ii.  6,  iii,  10,  vi.  12.  The  phrase  occurs  five  times  in  this  Epistle, 
and  not  elsewhere.  It  appears  to  designate  the  spiritual  atmosphere 
of  the  Christian  life,  as  when  we  are  told  in  Phil.  iii.  20  that 
*  our  citizenship  is  in  heaven.'     *  It  is  the  heaven,'  says  Lightfoot, 

^  loc.  cit.,  Introduction. 

'  Kanfs  Theory  of  Ethics  (Abbott),  p.  9. 

^  Hort,  I  Epistle  of  Peter,  p.  5. 


So  TO  THE  EPHESIANS   1.  5  ^1 

him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should 

5  be  holy  and  without  blemish  before  him  in  love :    having 

foreordained  us  unto  adoption  as  sons  through   Jesus 

'which  lies  within  and  about  the  true  Christian*.'  Cf.  Col.  i.  13, 
and  iii.  i.  One  may  illustrate  the  idea  from  the  allegorical  as 
apart  from  the  literal  interpretation  of  Dante's  Paradiso.  The 
visions  of  the  poet  are  not  so  much  descriptions  of  the  life  of  the 
glorified  as  they  are  guides  for  the  life  we  have  now  to  live  on 
earth.  This  value  also  attaches  to  the  visions  of  the  Apocalypse, 
and  gives  that  book  its  abiding  spiritual  significance.  Otherwise  its 
value  would  have  been  limited  to  the  age  in  which  it  was  written. 
Now  it  is  a  book  for  all  time. 

in  Christ.  The  words  '  in  Christ '  may  be  said  to  be  the 
keynote  of  the  whole  Epistle.  '  In  him,  by  him,  through  him  '  are 
all  things.  This  great  doctrine  of  the  mystical  union  with  Christ 
finds  in  this  Epistle  its  clearest  enunciation  and  most  perfect 
illustration.  All  Christ's  teaching  about  'abiding  in  him'  finds 
its  perfect  commentary  in  the  pages  of  this  Epistle. 

4.  before  tlie  foundation  of  tlie  world :  i.  e.  from  all  eternity. 
Cf.  John  xvii.  24,  'thou  lovedst  me  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world.*  (The  parallels  in  this  Epistle  with  the  Johannine  type 
of  teaching  are  extremely  interesting,  and  go  far  to  modify  the 
elements  of  contrast  that  have  so  frequently  been  dwelt  upon  in 
the  doctrine  of  the  two  apostles.  Again,  it  is  not  in  identity  of 
phrase,  but  in  similarity  of  thought,  that  the  resemblance  is  to  be 
sought.)  Cf.  I  Pet.  i.  20,  '  who  was  foreknown  indeed  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world.'  The  phrase  is  not  to  be  found  elsewhere 
in  Paul's  writings. 

holy  and  without  blemish :  the  metaphor  is  that  of  sacrifice : 
cf.  v.  27  ;  Col,  i.  22.  *  The  words  give,'  says  Abbott,  *  the  positive 
and  negative  sides  of  the  idea.'     Cf.  Phil.  ii.  15,  and  Titus  ii.  14. 

before  him  in  love.  There  is  about  equal  authority  for  the 
punctuation  given  in  the  text  and  that  of  the  margin  ('him:  having 
in  love  foreordained  us').  To  the  latter  collocation  of  words  the 
Greek  commentators  and  the  majority  of  recent  interpreters  lean. 

5.  foreordained.  The  word  so  translated  appears  to  have  been 
a  creation  of  Paul's,  from  whose  writings  it  passed  rapidly  into 
the  Christian  vocabulary. 

adoption.  The  figure  is  taken  from  the  Roman  law,  in 
which  adoption  was  a  matter  of  daily  occurrence,  and  provided  for 
by  elaborate  ceremony  (see  Expository  Times,  vol.  iii.  p.  3,  and 
article  on  *  St.  Paul  and  the  Roman  Law '  in  Contemporary  Review 

^  Notes  on  Epistles  of  St.  Paul,  p.  312. 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS   1.  6,  7  81 

Christ  unto  himself,  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of 
his  will,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,  which  he  6 
freely  bestowed  on  us  in  the  Beloved :  in  whom  we  have  7 
our  redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  our 

for  August,  1891).  The  '  adopted '  son  was  actually  a  member  of 
the  family  into  which  he  entered — its  limitations  as  well  as 
privileges  being  his.  But  while  the  metaphor  is  legal  there  is 
no  need  to  assume  that  Paul's  conception  of  the  spiritual  relation 
is  legal,  still  less  fictitious.  All  men  are  God's  children,  but  some 
word  is  needed  to  express  the  conscious  sonship  of  faith  and 
obedience,  and  this  is  Paul's  expression.  Cf.  Rom.  viii.  15 ; 
Gal.  iv.  5,  and  notes  on  these  passages. 

good  pleasure.  The  word  so  translated  is,  according  to 
Jerome,  a  coinage  of  the  Greek  translators  of  the  O.  T.,  who 
were  compelled,  as  he  says,  '  to  form  new  words  to  be  vehicles 
of  new  ideas.'  The  word  may  also  mean  '  good  will,'  but  usage 
points  to  the  rendering  of  the  text  as  the  correct  one  here. 

6.  to  the  praise  of  tlie  g"lory  of  Ms  grace.  This  is  an  idea 
which  fills  the  Apostle's  mind,  and  to  which  he  time  and  again 
returns.  Grace  is  not  some  mysterious  spiritual  entity  of 
theologians,  but  the  free  gift  of  God's  love.  'Herein  lies  the 
magnificence,  the  glory,  of  God's  work  of  redemption,  that  it  has 
not  the  character  of  a  contract,  but  of  a  largess '  (Lightfoot).  In 
verse  7  the  Apostle  speaks  of  *  the  riches  of  his  grace,'  in  verse  12 
of  *  the  praise  of  his  glory,'  and  in  ii.  7  with  yet  greater  force  of 
'the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  kindness.'  Cf.  also  Col.  i. 
27,  where  we  read  of  '  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  this  mystery.' 

which  he  freely  "bestowed.  The  reading  in  the  text  is  that 
of  the  best  MSS.,  whereas  that  of  the  margin  ('  wherewith  he 
endued  us')  is  probably  an  attempted  simplification  of  the  other. 

the  Beloved.  This  is  the  only  occurrence  of  this  name  for 
Christ  in  the  writings  of  the  N.  T.,  though  the  title  is  not 
uncommon  in  the  literature  that  immediately  succeeds  it.  Cf. 
Col.  i.  13,  '  the  Son  of  his  love.' 

7.  redemption.  '  Release'  is  the  basal  idea  of  the  word  so  trans- 
lated— release  from  sin  and  all  that  sin  entails.  The  special 
character  of  release  suggested  by  the  word  is  that  from  slavery. 
Men  are  regarded  as  captives  under  an  evil  tyrant,  and  their 
deliverance  must  be  accomplished  by  a  mightier  hand.  See 
Rom.  viii.  23  and  note.  It  is  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  force  the 
meaning  '  payment  of  a  ransom  price '  into  many  usages  of  the 
word,  nor  is  it  at  all  necessary  to  do  so. 

through  his  blood.     The  life  of  Christ  offered  up  for  and 
shared  with  those  who  believe  in  him  is  the  efficient  means  of 
(8)  r. 


82  TO  THE  EPHESIANS   1.  8-10 

8  trespasses,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace,  which  he 
made  to  abound  toward  us  in  all  wisdom  and  prudence, 

9  having  made  known  unto  us  the  mystery  of  his  will, 
according  to  his  good  pleasure  which  he  purposed  in 

10  him  unto  a  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  the  times,  to 

their  redemption.  These  words  do  not  occur  in  the  best  text 
of  the  parallel  passage,  Col.  i.  14. 

tlie  forgiveness  of  our  trespasses.  The  question  has  been 
raised  why  this  additional  definition  of  redemption  should  be 
given.  Lightfoot  suggests  that  it  was  in  answer  to  some  false 
teaching  prevalent  in  the  churches  to  which  the  letter  was  sent, 
particularly  at  Colossse.  Is  it  necessary  to  suppose  this  ?  Surely 
it  is  in  Paul's  manner  that  he  should  dwell  upon  the  great  *  riches 
of  God's  grace,'  and  delight  in  enumerating  and  amplifying  their 
fullness. 

riclies  of  Ms  ^ace.  *  Riches '  is  a  favourite  word  of  the 
Apostle  Paul,  Paley  calls  it  one  of  his  'cant'  words.  Rather 
should  we  describe  it  as  one  of  the  richly  tinted  windows  through 
which  he  admits  the  Divine  light  into  the  Christian  temple. 

8.  wMcli  lie  zoade  to  abound.  This  is  the  best  rendering. 
An  attempt  to  simplify,  similar  to  that  in  verse  6,  accounts  for  the 
reading  of  the  A.  V.  and  margin,  'wherewith  he  abounded.' 

wisdom  and  prudence.  If  a  distinction  is  sought  in  these 
gifts  bestowed  upon  us  by  God,  wisdom  is  to  be  understood  of  the 
reason,  and  prudence  of  the  understanding. 

9.  mystery.  The  meaning  of  the  word  is  that  of  'some- 
thing once  hidden,  but  now  revealed.'  It  is  always  used  in  the 
N.  T.  in  the  sense  of  an  '  open  secret,'  save  in  the  Book  of 
Revelation,  where  the  sense  of  a  hidden  secret  remains,  e.  g.  '  the 
mystery  of  the  seven  stars  *  (i.  20).  Chrysostom  defines  the  word 
well,  'A  mystery,'  he  says,  'is  that  which  is  everywhere 
proclaimed,  but  which  is  not  understood  by  those  who  have  not 
right  judgement.' 

10.  For  the  general  idea  of  this  verse  cf.  the  opening  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  The  word  rendered  dispensation  is 
really  our  word  'economy,'  and  is  frequently  rendered  'steward- 
ship.' The  idea  conveyed  is  that  of  the  whole  management  and 
arrangement  of  a  fully  organized  society.  The  metaphorical 
language  of  the  N.  T.  has  place  for  all  that  the  word  implies. 
God  is  the  Householder  (as  in  the  parables  of  Matt,  xiii,  xx, 
xxi ;  Luke  xiii,  xiv),  the  church  His  household  (i  Tim.  iii.  15; 
Heb.  iii.  2,  &:c.) ;  the  saints  the  members  of  the  household  (Eph. 
ii.  19)  ;  and  the  ministers  God's  stewards  (i  Cor.  iv\  The  word 
had  been  extended  to  statecraft 'By  Aristotle  and  others,  and  so 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS   1.  n,  12  83 

sum  up  all  things  in  Christ,  the  things  in  the  heavens, 
and  the  things  upon  the  earth ;   in  him,  /  sa\\  in  whom  1 1 
also  we  were  made  a  heritage,  having  been  foreordained 
according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who  worketh  all  things 
after  the  counsel  of  his  will;   to  the  end  that  we  should  12 

ecclesiastical  writers  used  it  readily  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  the 
central  fact  of  which  was  the  Incarnation.  Hence  *  the  dispensa- 
tion' came  to  mean  pre-eminently  Christ's  becoming  man  and  all 
that  it  involved,  so  that  the  word  became  a  technical  term  for 
the  Incarnation.  Lightfoot  thinks  this  later  usage  had  its  origin 
in  this  passage. 

the  times,  or  'seasons'  (marg.),  are  the  successive  stages  in 
the  growth  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  now  perfected  in  the  work  and 
mission  of  Christ. 

to  sum  up.  Abbott  says  the  word  '  supplies  the  content  of 
the  *'  mystery,"  the  object  of  the  "  good  pleasure,"  and  the  object 
reserved  for  the  "dispensation."'  There  is  no  reference  in  the 
word  to  the  idea  of  '  restoration  to  a  former  state,'  a  sense  that 
has  sometimes  been  given  to  it. 

in  the  heavens.  The  marginal  rendering  '  upon '  is  less 
likely  than  'in,'  both  on  the  grounds  of  MS.  authority  and  of 
linguistic  usage. 

There  is  a  doctrinal  value  and  significance  in  these  phrases  as 
well  as  great  poetic  beauty.  When  new  aspects  of  false  teaching 
appeared,  Paul  knew  how  to  meet  them  by  bringing  into  light  new 
aspects  of  the  Divine  revelation.  Christ  is  Lord  in  heaven  as  on 
earth,  and  all  existences  are  subordinate  to  him.  This  is  insisted 
upon  and  elaborated  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  when  the 
special  danger  of  exalting  other  spiritual  beings  at  the  expense  of 
Christ  was  markedly  present  (cf  Col.  i.  13-18). 

11.  we  were  made  a  heritag'e.  This  rendering  does  not  seem 
so  suitable  to  the  context,  or  to  the  use  of  the  word  elsewhere,  as 
does  the  rendering  of  the  A.  V.,  'we  have  obtained  an  inheritance.' 
The  emphasis  is  to  be  laid  upon  the  grace  that  has  given  us  the 
inheritance.  It  is  not  a  right,  but  a  gift.  That  is  the  writer's 
thought.  The  sense  is  that  of  the  O.  T.  poet,  '  The  Lord  is  the 
portion  of  mine  inheritance '  (Ps.  xvi.  5).  The  idea  of  merit  or 
right  is  clearly  excluded  by  the  words  which  follow  :  '  having 
been  foreordained  according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who  worketh 
all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  will.' 

12.  to  the  end  that  we,  &c.  Some  translate,  *  that  we,  to  the 
praise  of  his  glory,  should  be  those  who  have  before  had  hopes  in 
Christ,'  thus  laying  emphasis  on  the  Messianic  expectations  of  the 
Jews.     This  is  a  forceful  rendering,  suits  well  the  construction  of 

G    2 


84  TO  THE  EPHESIANS   1.  13-15 

be  unto  the  praise  of  his  glory,  we  who  had  before  hoped 

13  in  Christ :  in  whom  ye  also,  having  heard  the  word  of  the 
truth,  the  gospel  of  your  salvation, — in  whom,  having 
also  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of 

14  promise,  which  is  an  earnest  of  our  inheritance,  unto  the 
redemption  of  God^s  own  possession,  unto  the  praise  of 
his  glory. 

15  For  this  cause  I  also,  having  heard  of  the  faith  in  the 

the  sentence,  and  is  in  accord  with  the  thought  of  the  following 
verse.  It  is  natural  to  give  the  '  before '  some  special  reference 
to  the  Jews  either  'before  the  coming  of  the  historical  Jesus,'  or 
'before  the  conversion  of  the  heathen.' 

13.  The  Gentiles  are  now  inheritors  of  the  same  blessings,  and 
have  their  assurance  of  them  in  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Spirit  of  promise  is,  of  course,  the  Spirit  that  had  been 
promised.  The  interpretation,  'the  Spirit  which  brings  a  pro- 
mise' is  less  likely  and  less  suitable. 

14.  earnest.  The  original  word  occurs  in  2  Cor.  i.  22,  and 
V.  5,  and  is  not  Greek,  but  Semitic.  It  occurs  in  Hebrew  in 
Gen,  xxxviii.  17,  18,  20.  As  it  occurs  in  classical  Greek  writers, 
it  is  supposed  to  have  found  its  way  into  that  language  through 
the  Phoenicians.  It  is  found  also  in  Latin  writers,  who  may  have 
obtained  it  from  the  Semitic  speech  of  Carthage.  The  meaning  of 
the  word  is  that  of  *  a  portion  of  the  purchase-money  given  as  a 
pledge  of  full  payment.'  It  is  of  importance  to  notice  the  identity 
of  nature  in  the  earnest  and  the  final  payment.  As  Lightfoot  in- 
dicates, there  is  another  side  to  the  metaphor,  '  The  Spirit  has,  as  it 
were,  a  lien  upon  us.' 

i.  15-23.  PauVs  thanksgiving  for  the  faithful  witness  of  those  to 
whom  he  writes,  and  his  prayer  for  their  increase  in  knowledge  and 
spiritual  gifts. 

Paul,  hearing  of  the  good  repute  of  their  faith,  ceases  not  to 
thank  God  on  this  account,  and  also  prays  that  the  Spirit  of  Christ's 
illumination  may  be  bestowed  upon  all  the  Christians  whom  his 
words  will  reach.  This  grace  will  enable  them  to  understand  the 
grandeur  of  their  Christian  calling,  with  its  hopes,  its  present 
privileges,  its  powers  of  victory  bestowed  through  the  might  of 
the  indwelling  and  living  Christ.  God  raised  Christ  from  the  dead, 
and  gave  him  his  glory  in  heaven,  that  throughout  the  whole 
universe  he  might  reign  and  share  the  fruits  of  his  victory  with 
his  church,  which  is  the  body  of  which  he  is  head  and  is  made 
glorious  by  being  filled  with  his  fullness. 

15.  Per  this  cause.     These  words  refer  to  the  whole  of  the 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS   1.  16,  17  85 

Lord  Jesus  which  is  among  you,  and  which  ye  shew 
toward  all  the  saints,  cease  not  to  give  thanks  for  you,  16 
making  mention  of  you  in  my  prayers;    that  the  God  of  17 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory,  may  give  unto 
you  a  spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge 


former  paragraph.  It  is  the  greatness  of  the  Christian's  inherit- 
ance that  causes  the  Apostle  to  offer  continual  thanks  for  himself 
and  all  who  share  in  it.  Cf.  the  occurrence  of  the  same  phrase 
in  Col.  i.  9,  and  in  Rom.  v.  12  ;  2  Cor.  iv.  i  (rendered  *  therefore '). 

I  also  simply  marks  the  transition  of  subject  from  'you.' 
In  Col.  i.  9  the  parallel  has  *  we  also,*  because  Timothy  is  there 
associated  with  Paul. 

bavins'  heard.  This  is  taken  as  one  of  the  strong  arguments 
against  the  Epistle  being  directed  to  Ephesus,  since  the  Christians 
there  were  personally  known  to  Paul.  In  Philem.  5  the  par- 
ticiple being  in  the  present  tense  has  a  different  significance,  and 
is  quite  applicable  to  a  personal  friend.  The  phrase  may  have 
been  used  as  most  suitable  to  all  to  whom  the  letter  was  sent,  and 
not  unsuitable  to  any.  The  expression  'among  you*  seems  to 
strengthen  this  explanation. 

andwliich.  The  words  'and  the  love  which,' given  in  the 
margin,  are  found  in  many  excellent  MSS.,  and  the  authority  for 
and  against  them  is  about  equal.  Their  insertion  is  supported  by 
Col.  i.  4.  '■  Faith  toward  all  the  saints '  is  a  difficult  expression, 
and  the  omission  can  be  most  naturally  explained  by  the  fact  that 
the  eye  of  the  copyist  might  easily  pass  over  the  words  that 
intervene  between  two  identical  ones  that,  in  the  original,  follow 
close  upon  one  another. 

16.  making'  mention:  the  phrase  so  rendered  may  mean  also 
*  remembering.' 

17.  the  God  of  onr  Iiord  Jesus  Christ.  This  phrase  has  not 
its  exact  parallel  elsewhere,  though  the  combination  *  the  God 
and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ'  (cf.  verse  3)  occurs  several 
times.  The  purpose  seems  to  be  that  of  encouragement  in  prayer ; 
cf.  Heb.  V.  7,  8. 

the  Father  of  glory :  i.  e.  the  Father  to  whom  belongs  glory ; 
cf.  Acts  vii.  2.     For  the  thought  cf.  verses  8  and  9  above. 

in  the  knowledge  of  him.  The  punctuation  adopted  by 
Westcott  and  Hort,  which  seems  to  render  the  meaning  of  the 
sentence  more  clear,  is  to  substitute  a  comma  for  a  semicolon 
after  *  him '  and  so  connect  the  words  closely  with  those  that  follow, 
thus  affording  the  explanation  of  the  way  in  which  '  the  eyes  of 
the  heart '  are  to  be  enlightened. 


86  TO  THE  EPHESIANS   1.  18-21 

18  of  him  ;  having  the  eyes  of  your  heart  enh'ghtened,  that 
ye  may  know  what  is  the  hope  of  his  calHng,  what  the 

19  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints,  and 
what  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to  us-ward  who 
beheve,  according  to  that  working  of  the  strength  of  his 

20  might  which  he  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him 
from  the  dead,  and  made  him  to  sit  at  his  right  hand  in 

21  the  heavenly //<7^^i',  far  above  all  rule,  and  authority,  and 


18.  eyes  of  your  heart.  The  expression  '  eye  of  the  soul '  is 
found  in  Plato  and  Aristotle.  In  Rom.  i.  21  we  read  of  the 
'darkening  of  the  heart.'     Cf.  also  Matt.  vi.  22,  23. 

what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance.  The  full 
significance  of  each  word  is  to  be  allowed  in  this  magnificent 
cumulative  expression. 

in  the  saints.  This  should  rather  be  rendered  '  among  the 
saints.'  These  great  gifts  of  God  are  only  properly  realized  in 
the  community  of  believers.  The  perfection  of  the  inheritance  is 
to  be  found  in  the  kingdom. 

19.  according  to  that  working,  &c.  The  three  words  here 
used  in  combination  appear  to  mean  separately,  in  the  order  in 
which  the^;-  occur  : — 

(i)  The  actual  exercise  of  power. 

(2)  Power  expressing  itself  in  overcoming  resistance. 

(3)  Inherent  power.     (Abbott.) 

20.  Cf.  I  Pet.  iii.  22. 

at  his  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places.  Some  would 
insist  on  the  literalness  of  these  expressions,  but  they  are  clearly 
metaphors  to  imply  the  dignity  and  honour  of  Christ's  exaltation. 
*We  look  upward,'  says  Abbott  appropriately,  *  in  order  to  look 
away  from  visible  things.' 

21.  far  above  all  rule,  &c.  These  names  (cf.  Col.  i.  16)  must 
be  taken  in  a  general  sense  as  descriptive  of  all  powers  and 
authorities  in  the  earth  or  out  of  it.  In  vi.  12  of  this  Epistle  the 
Apostle  uses  the  two  first  terms  of  evil  powers,  and  in  Tit.  iii.  i  of 
earthly  powers,  without  any  note  of  characterization.  The  inde- 
finiteness  of  the  expressions,  and  the  varied  words  used  here  and 
in  Colossians,  give  no  warrant  for  the  elaborate  classifications  of 
the  angelic  hierarchy  found  in  later  writers,  and  rendered  familiar 
by  their  adoption  in  Dante's  Paradtso  and  Milton's  Paradise  Lost. 
Paul's  purpose  here  is  not  speculative,  but  practical.  He  does  not 
give  sidelights  on  revelation,  but  asserts  a  great  truth,  admirably 
expressed  by   Lightfoot :   *  It  matters  not  by  what  title   [these 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS   1.   22—2.  i  87 

power,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named,  not 
only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come : 
and  he  put  all  things  in  subjection  under  his  feet,  and  22 
gave  him  to  be  head  over  all  things  to  the  church,  which  23 
is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  fiUeth  all  in  all. 

And  you  did  lu  quicken,  when  ye  were  dead  through  2 

spiritual  beings]  are  called,  or  whether  real  or  imaginary,  Christ 
is  elevated  above  all.' 

in  this  world.  The  marginal  rendering  'age'  here  and  else- 
where throughout  the  N.  T.  better  suggests  the  temporal  idea  of 
*■  dispensation  '  which  the  word  in  the  original  signifies,  rather 
than  the  local  idea  vi^hich  'world '  conveys  to  the  English  reader. 

22.  put  all  thing's  in  subjection :  a  reminiscence  of  Ps.  viii.  6, 
which  is  quoted  in  i  Cor.  xv.  27. 

23.  which  is  his  "body.  An  emphatic  form  of  the  relative 
pronoun  is  here  used  =  'which,  in  fact,  is  his  body.' 

fulness.  The  word,  so  translated,  is  a  difficult  one  to  inter- 
pret, especially  in  this  particular  context.  The  idea  of  Christ's 
*  filling  all  things'  recurs  in  iv.  10.  How  then  is  the  church 
called  his  '  fulness '  ?     There  are  three  main  renderings  : — 

(i)  *  Fulness,'  in  its  obvious  sense,  understood  as  denoting  the 
church  filled  with  the  graces  and  gifts  of  Christ. 

(2)  'Fulness' as  = 'perfection.'  The  church  is  Christ's  perfect 
work. 

(3)  'Fulness' in  the  sense  of  *  complement.'  Christ  is  the  Head, 
the  church  is  the  body.  The  one  is  not  complete  without  the 
other.     Christ  needs  the  church,  as  the  church  needs  Christ. 

The  third  interpretation  seems  to  present  fewest  difficulties. 

ii.  i-io.      TransfoYvned  lives  and  their  goal. 

The  great  work  of  the  Divine  grace  began  in  men  dead  in  their 
sins.  The  life  they  then  lived,  following  blindly  the  powers  of 
evil,  with  no  thought  above  self-pleasing,  drifting  in  the  world's 
ways  to  destruction,  was  a  living  death.  But  the  love  of  God, 
going  out  in  its  wonderful  freeness,  touched  such  men  and  set 
within  their  hearts  the  germ  of  the  new  life,  made  them  com- 
panions of  Jesus,  and  sharers  in  his  glory.  And  this  same 
generous  love  has  yet  greater  things  in  store  for  men,  and  sur- 
prises for  the  world.  Each  disciple  has  '  his  wa3's '  prepared 
'  in  Christ,'  and  is  being  moulded  into  his  likeness. 

This  whole  paragraph  is  a  striking  instance  of  Paul's  most 
intricate  and  difficult  style.  Sentences  are  broken  by  emotion  and 
passion.  A  word  suggests  a  new  thought,  which  he  at  once 
pursues.     Lest  his  meaning  should  be  missed,  he  does  not  hesitate 


88  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  2.  2,  3 

2  your  trespasses  and  sins,  wherein  aforetime  ye  walked 
according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the 
prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  of  the  spirit  that  now 

3  worketh  in  the  sons  of  disobedience ;  among  whom  we 
also  all  once  lived  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  doing  the 

to  return  to  and  repeat,  in  almost  identical  words,  a  truth  already 
clearly  stated. 

1.  did  he  quicken.  There  is  no  word  in  the  original  to  corre- 
spond with  'did  he  quicken.'  We  must  look  forward,  therefore, 
to  verse  5  before  we  find  a  verb,  and  by  that  time  the  object  with 
which  he  started  has  been  lost  sight  of,  and  changed  to*  us/  This 
confusion  may  be  taken  as  a  clear  proof  of  the  identification  of  Jew 
and  Gentile  in  the  writer's  mind.  Attempts  to  bring  the  opening 
clause  under  the  government  of  a  verb,  e.g.  'fiUeth  '  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  are  not  convincing,  although  such  constructions  do 
occur  (cf.  v.  22). 

2.  wherein  ...  ye  walked :  to  '  walk  in  sin  'or  *  in  holiness'  is 
a  Hebrew  expression  ;  cf.  Pss.  xxvi.  11,  Ixxxvi.  11  ;  Prov.  xix.  i ; 
Dan.  iv.  37,  and  verse  10  below. 

course  of  this  world :  *  spirit  of  the  age '  is  a  good  paraphrase 
of  the  words.  The  exact  collocation  is  not  found  elsewhere. 
Some  interpreters  have  supposed  the  word  *  age '  or  *  course '  to 
be  used  here  in  the  technical  sense  employed  by  the  later  Gnostic 
writers,  and  would  render  the  whole  phrase  as,  *  the  Evil  One,* 
but  there  is  no  sufficient  ground  for  such  an  interpretation,  and 
similar  expressions  used  elsewhere  by  Paul  (e.g.  i  Cor.  i.  20, 
iii.  19,  &c.)  enable  us  to  understand  this  one  with  sufficient 
clearness. 

the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air  :  this  is  a  term  not  easily 
explained.  It  is  not  enough  to  assume  with  some  that*  air'  here 
means  '  darkness,'  and  then  compare  such'passages  as  vi.  12  and 
Col.  i.  13,  for  there  is  no  proof  of  such  usage.  There  seems  to 
have  been  a  current  idea  that  spirits  (especially  evil  ones)  in- 
habited the  air,  and  that  to  this  belief  Paul  refers. 

Another  question  arises  as  to  whether  the  expression  *  spirit  that 
now  worketh  '  is  in  apposition  to  the  word  '  prince  '  (the  *  case  * 
is  not  the  same),  or  grammatically  subject  to  it.  The  latter 
seems  more  probable,  so  that  the  rendering  would  be  not  *  the 
prince  who  is  the  spirit,'  but  *  the  prince  of  the  spirit.'  The  spirit 
is  thus  the  general  influence  that  controls  the  class  referred  to. 

sons  of  disobedience :  this  is  another  Hebrew  form  of 
expression  ;  cf.  Prov.  xxxi.  5 ;  2  Sam.  vii.  10. 

3.  we  also  :  i.  e.  the  Jews. 

lusts  of  our  flesh:   the  expression  is  not  tg  be  limited  to 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  2.  4-7  89 

desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind,  and  were  by  nature 
children  of  wrath,  even  as  the  rest : — but  God,  being  rich  4 
in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  5 
when  we  were  dead  through  our  trespasses,  quickened  us 
together  with  Christ  (by  grace  have  ye  been  saved),  and  6 
raised  us  up  with  him,  and  made  us  to  sit  with  him  in 
the  heavenly  places^  in  Christ  Jesus  :   that  in  the  ages  to  7 
come  he  might  shew  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in 


bodily  appetites,  but  includes  all  the  influences  of  the  lowernature. 
In  Col.  ii.  18  the  Apostle  speaks  of  a  man  '  being  vainly  puffed  up 
by  the  mind  of  his  flesh.'  Butler's  phrase  *  particular  propensions ' 
is  almost  synonymous. 

desires  ...  of  the  mind  (or  rather,  with  the  marg.  *  thoughts  ') 
is  a  somewhat  strange  phrase.  Elsewhere  the  word  rendered 
'  thoughts  '  is  used  in  a  good  sense,  as  in  i  Pet.  i.  13,  *  girding  up 
the  loins  of  your  thoughts,'  2  Pet.  iii.  i,  *  I  stir  up  your  pure 
thoughts '  ;  but  a  transition  can  be  seen  in  iv.  18  of  this  Epistle, 
where  Paul  speaks  of  their  '  being  darkened  in  their  thought '  and 
in  Col.  i.  21  we  read  '  enemies  in  your  thought.'  There  the 
thoughts  are  looked  at  through  the  medium  of  the  flesh  by  which 
they  are  stained.     Their — 

*  nature  Is  subdued 
To  what  it  works  in,  like  the  dyer's  hand  '.' 

children  of  wrath:  this  is  a  Hebrew  idiom  equivalent  to 
'  worthy  of  or  *  in  danger  of.*  Abbott  cites,  in  illustration,  Deut. 
XXV.  2,  '  a  son  of  stripes,'  i,  e. '  worthy  of  stripes' ;  i  Sam.  xxvi.  x6^ 
*  son  of  death,'  i.  e.  '  worthy  to  die  '  (cf.  2  Sam.  xii.  5  R.  V.) 

the  rest :  i.  e.  *  the  heathen ' ;  cf.  i  Thess.  iv.  13. 

4.  for  his  gfreat  love  :  cf.  Philem  9,  *  for  love's  sake.' 

5.  (by  g'race  have  ye  been  saved).  The  parenthetical  clause 
is  inserted  in  order  forcibly  to  remind  the  readers  that  they  can 
do  nothing  by  themselves,  but  that  all  is  the  outcome  of  God's 
gracious  love. 

6.  in  Christ  Jesus :  again  the  dominant  note  of  the  Epistle 
recurs.  The  words  shew  that  these  results  are  not  gained  by 
simply  sharing  in  Christ's  victory,  but  through  virtue  of  being  one 
with  him — the  great  theme  of  this  Epistle. 

*J.  in  the  agfes  to  come :  the  conception  need  not  be  confined 
to  the  future  life,  though  the  phrase  obviously  embraces  it. 

^  Shakespeare,  Sonnet  c.\i. 


90  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  2.  S-n 

8  kindness  toward  us  in  Christ  Jesus  :  for  by  grace  have  ye 
been  saved  through  faith ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves  :   /'/ 

9  is  the  gift  of  God :    not  of  works,  that  no  man  should 

10  glory.  For  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ 
Jesus  for  good  works,  which  God  afore  prepared  that  we 
should  walk  in  them. 

11  Wherefore  remember,  that  aforetime  ye,  the  Gentiles 

8.  for  by  grace,  &c.  In  these  words  the  theme  of  the  paren- 
thetical clause  (verse  5)  is  resumed  and  ampHfied, 

and  tliat :  these  words  may  refer  either  (i)  to  the  single 
word  '  faith '  or  (2)  to  the  whole  preceding  clause.  The  latter 
interpretation  seems  the  more  suitable  one. 

10.  workmanship  :  the  word  so  rendered  is  only  used  once 
elsewhere  in  Paul's  writings,  viz.  Rom.  i.  20,  where  it  is  rendered 
'  the  things  that  are  made.'  Many  of  the  ancient  interpreters 
confined  the  word  here  also  to  the  physical  creation.  While  it  is 
hardly  likely  that  it  can  be  used  entirely  of  the  *  spiritual  creation,' 
we  may  say  that  the  word  conveys  in  itself  the  analogy,  and, 
inasmuch  as  the  latter  is  so  much  more  important,  centres  our 
thought  upon  that.  Literally  rendered  it  reads,  'We  are  his 
poem.' 

Two  constructions  of  the  latter  part  of  the  verse  are  possible, 
(i)  With  the  verb  transitive  as  in  the  text,  'which  God  afore 
prepared,'  in  which  case  the  life  of  good  works  is  represented  as 
existing  ideally  in  the  mind  and  purpose  of  God,  and  that  Christians 
are  led  to  adopt  it  as  their  own.  (2)  With  the  verb  intransitive, 
'  for  which  God  afore  prepared  us,'  an  interpretation  that '  strongly 
accentuates  the  moral  purpose  of  the  preparation.'     (Abbott.) 

ii.  11-22.  The  share  of  the  Gentiles  in  the  covenant  mercies  of 
Israel  through  Christ's  mission  and  death. 

In  common  with  all  the  Gentiles,  those  to  whom  he  is  writing 
once  stood  outside  all  covenant  relations  with  God,  since  these 
privileges  were  confined  to  Israel,  and  sealed  by  the  sign  of 
circumcision.  Not  only  had  Israel's  Messiah  no  meaning  for  them, 
but  they  knew  not  Israel's  God.  Now  all  has  been  changed  by 
Christ's  advent.  His  death — by  its  perfect  sacrifice — broke  down 
the  barriers  that  the  ritual  law  had  erected.  Henceforth  Jew  and 
Gentile  have  only  one  way  of  access.  Christ  reconciled  them'  by 
making  one  new  way  for  each,  namely,  himself.  He  heralded  and 
accomplished  peace  with  men,  through  peace  with  God.  Men 
once  enemies  to  one  another  and  to  God  may  now  approach  him 
as  Father,  through  the  Spirit  of  the  Son.  One  solid  fabric  is  to  be 
reared,  of  which  Christ  is  the  corner  stone,  in  which  living  temple 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  2.  12-15  91 

in  the  flesh,  who  are  called  Uncircumcision  by  that  which 
is  called  Circumcision,  in  the  flesh,  made  by  hands ;  that  12 
ye  were  at  that  time  separate  from  Christ,  alienated  from 
the  commonwealth   of  Israel,   and   strangers   from    the 
covenants  of  the  promise,  having  no  hope  and  without 
God  in  the  world.     But  now  in  Christ  Jesus  ye  that  once  13 
were  far  off  are  made  nigh  in  the  blood  of  Christ.     For  14 
he  is  our  peace,  who  made  both  one,  and  brake  down 
the  middle  wall  of  partition,  having  abolished  in  his  flesh  15 

Jew  and  Gentile  mayalike  be  found  as  stones,  for  it  is  the  shrine 
of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

11.  Wlierefore :  i.  e.  '  because  of  the  blessings  they  now  enjoy.* 
called  ITncircumcisiou.     Paul  here  depreciates  the  merely 

physical  circumcision — '  so-called  circumcision  ' — with  which  (as 
in  Col.  ii.  11)  he  contrasts  the  spiritual  circumcision.  Cf.  also 
Phil.  iii.  3  ;  Rom.  ii.  28,  29. 

12.  alienated  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel.  ^Common- 
wealth '  here  refers  to  the  theocratic  kingdom,  not,  of  course,  the 
merely  historical  and  earthly  one.  It  is  Israel,  as  related  to  God, 
from  which  they  were  estranged.  In  any  other  sense  they  were 
obviously  aliens. 

having*  no  hope.  This  must  not  be  Hmited  to  the  special 
hope  of  the  Messiah,  but  presents  the  Gentile  world  as  absolutely 
hopeless,  till  the  light  of  Christ  came  to  them. 

without  God :  as  not  knowing  Him — '  the  deepest  stage 
of  heathen  misery,'  says  Meyer. 

13.  once  . .  .far  off:  the  phraseology  is  suggested  by  Isa.  Ivii,  19, 
*  Peace,  peace,  to  him  that  is  far  off  and  to  him  that  is  near.'  Cf. 
also  verse  17.  The  form  of  expression  '  to  bring  near,'  in  the  sense 
of  '  gaining  proselytes,'  is  said  to  have  been  common  with  the 
Rabbis,  and  Abbott  refers  to  one  instance  of  a  woman  who  came  to 
Rabbi  Eliezer,  confessing  great  transgression  and  asking  to  be 
made  a  proselyte,  in  the  formula,  '  Rabbi,  bring  me  near,'  but  he 
refused.  Rabbi  Joshua,  however,  received  hei*,  whereupon  his 
disciples  in  amazement  asked,  '  Rabbi  Eliezer  put  her  far  off, 
how  then  dost  thou  bring  her  nigh?' 

14.  who  made  both  one.  Chrysostom  likens  the  process  to 
that  of  an  artificer  in  metal  who  should  have  the  power  to  melt 
down  a  statue  of  silver  and  one  of  lead,  and  the  result  should 
be  a  statue  of  gold. 

the  middle  wall.  The  word  employed  in  the  original  is 
a  rare  one,  and  its  grammatical  connexion  with  the  following 
word  slightly  ambiguous.     Is  it  '  the  separating  partition '  or,  '  the 


92  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  2.  15 

the  enmity,  even  the  law  of  commandments  contained  in 

partition  which  consisted  in  the  fence.'  The  latter  is  probably 
correct.  The  reference  is  generally  supposed  to  be  to  the  wall  in 
the  temple  at  Jerusalem  that  separated  the  Court  of  the  Gentiles 
from  the  temple  proper.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  it  was 
Trophimus,  a  native  of  Ephesus,  whom  Paul  was  charged  with 
taking  within  the  sacred  precincts. 

15.  havingf  abolished.  There  is  considerable  difficulty  as 
to  the  grammatical  construction  of  the  words  in  verses  14  and  15. 
It  is  possible  to  take  the  connexion  in  two  or  three  different  ways. 
The  verbs  *  made '  and  '  brake  down  '  are  in  the  original  participles, 
while  the  word  translated  '  enmity '  follows  immediately  upon  the 
word  'brake  down.'  The  connexion  of  the  phrase  *  in  his  flesh' 
is  also  uncertain.     Two  main  renderings  are  possible  : — 

(i)  '  Who  brake  down  the  middle  wall  of  partition,  having 
in  his  flesh  abolished  the  enmity,  viz.  the  law '  (as  in  the  R.  V. 
text).  Against  this  it  is  objected  that  the  Maw'  cannot  be  fairly 
termed  the  '  enmity,'  and  that  the  verb  means  rather  '  to  deprive 
of  power '  than  '  to  destroy.' 

(2) '  Who  in  his  flesh  brake  down  the  middle  wall  of  partition,  viz. 
the  enmity,  having  abolished  the  law.'  In  this  case  it  is  difficult  to 
identify  'the  wall  of  partition'  with  'the  enmity.'  The  breaking 
down  of  the  wall  was  consequent  upon  the  abolishing  of  the  law. 

An  attempt  has  been  made  by  one  of  the  most  recent  com- 
mentators on  the  passage  at  a  satisfactory  explanation  by  supposing 
all  the  words  that  intervene  between  the  word  '  enmity '  in  verse 
15,  and  its  repetition  in  verse  16  to  constitute  a  parenthesis.  The 
words  in  verse  17  would  then  resume  the  interrupted  current  of 
thought  in  verse  14.  This  view  is  supported  by  Paul's  well-known 
habit  of  *  going  offat  a  word,'  &c.,  permitting  some  important  word 
to  suggest  a  new  train  of  thought  which  he  pursues,  regardless 
of  the  logical  sequence  of  his  argument.  Instances  are  to  be 
found  in  this  Epistle  in  ii.  i,  where  the  word  'sins'  suggests 
a  digression,  and  in  iii.  i,  where  the  word  '  Gentiles '  causes 
him  apparently  to  abandon  a  line  of  thought  he  does  not  resume 
for  a  whole  chapter,  (See  note  on  the  verse.)  In  this  case, 
however,  the  parallel  is  not  quite  obvious,  and  there  are  certain 
grammatical  considerations  that  make  it  difficult  to  adopt  the 
interpretation.  The  '  enmity,'  as  we  have  seen,  is  not  to  be 
identified  with  the  '  law,'  but  that  would  be  the  only  way  in 
which  the  transition  would  be  at  all  natural.  The  general  sense, 
however,  is  not  at  all  difficult  to  grasp.  Christ  has  made  the  law 
of  the  letter  powerless,  that  he  might  make  much  more  powerful 
the  law  of  the  Spirit.  The  former  created  a  bond  of  separation — 
the  latter  a  bond  of  union.  The  former  restrained,  the  latter 
impels. 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  2.  16-20  93 

ordinances ;  that  he  might  create  in  himself  of  the  twain 
one  new  man,  so  making  peace;    and  might  reconcile  16 
them  both  in  one  body  unto  God  through  the  cross, 
having  slain   the  enmity  thereby:    and   he   came   and  17 
preached  peace  to  you  that  were  far  off,  and  peace  to 
them  that  were  nigh :   for  through  him  we  both  have  18 
our  access  in  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father.     So  then  ye  19 
are  no  more  strangers  and  sojourners,  but  ye  are  fellow- 
citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God, 
being   built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  20 
prophets,  Christ  Jesus  himself  being  the  chief  corner 

one  new  man :  '  new '  because  '  in  Christ  Jesus '  there  is  no 
longer  '  Greek  and  Jew '  (cf.  Col.  iii.  10,  11). 

16.  reconcile.  In  the  original  this  is  an  intensive  form  of  the 
ordinary  verb,  and  the  only  other  instance  of  its  occurrence  is 
in  Col.  i.  20. 

in  one  body  =  *  the  one  new  man  ' ;  cf.  the  previous  verse. 
tlirougfli  the  cross :    the  enmity  that  came  to  its  full  fruit 
in  effecting  the  death  on  the  cross  he  slew  by  that  death. 

17.  preached  peace:  lit.  'preached  good  tidings  of  peace.* 
The  reference  is  best  understood  as  being  made  to  the  preaching 
of  the  apostles.     Christ  speaks  through  his  servants. 

19.  strangers  and  sojourners :  '  strangers '  is  a  general  term 
for  '  foreigners,'  while  '  sojourners'  is  a  designation  for  *  foreigners 
resident  in  a  state  without  possessing  the  rights  of  citizenship.' 

saints:  the  word  has  here  quite  a  general  reference  to  all 
believers,     Cf  i.  i. 

the  household  of  God.  Cf  i  Tim.  iii.  15 ;  Heb.  x.  20 ; 
I  Pet.  iv.  17.  The  thought  of  'house'  in  the  word  seems  to 
have  suggested  the  metaphor  to  which  he  proceeds  in  the  next 
verse.  This  lack  of  precision  in  figurative  language  is  common  in 
Paul's  writing,  arising  apparently  from  the  rapidity  of  his  thought 
and  the  richness  of  his  imagination,     Cf  iii,  17,  and  note. 

20.  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets.  Of  these 
words  four  interpretations  are  possible  : — 

(i)  The  foundation  on  which  apostles  and  prophets  have  built. 

(2)  The  foundation  which  apostles  and  prophets  have  laid. 

(3)  The  foundation  consisting  of  apostles  and  prophets, 

(4)  The  foundation  on  which  apostles  and  prophets  have  been 
built. 

Of  these  (i)  and  (4)  confuse  between  *  foundation  '  and  '  corner 


94  TO  THE  EPHRSIANS   2.  21,  22 

21  stone;    in   whom   each    several    building,    fitly   framed 
together,    groweth    into   a    holy   temple   in   the    Lord ; 

22  in  whom  ye  also  are  builded  together  for  a  habitation 
of  God  in  the  Spirit. 

stone'  (cf.  I  Pet.  ii.  4),  (2)  is  very  generally  accepted,  but  (3)  is 
gaining  favour  with  modern  interpreters,  who  quote  such  passages 
as  Rev.  xxi.  14  and  2  Tim.  ii,  19  in  support  of  their  view. 

the  chief  corner  stone.  It  is  Christ  that  holds  the  fabric 
together;  the  word  rendered  'himself  might  also  mean  'its,'  i.  e. 
*the  foundation's  corner  stone,'  and  it  is  so  understood  by  many 
interpreters.  The  '  corner  stone '  of  the  foundation  seems  a  curious 
expression,  and  the  important  point  surely  is  to  relate  Christ  to  the 
whole  building. 

The  '  prophets*  referred  to  in  this  verse  (as  in  iii.  5  and  iv.  11  of 
this  Epistle)  are  almost  certainly  the  N.  T.  order  of  prophets.  The 
two  classes  'apostles  and  prophets'  are  closely  linked  grammati- 
cally in  the  original,  which  would  not  have  been  likely  had  the 
O.  T.  prophets  been  meant. 

21.  each  several  building'.  According  to  the  reading  of  some 
MSS.  we  should  render,  '  all  the  building,'  but  this  is  not  well 
supported,  and  it  may  easily  have  been  a  scribe's  slip.  The 
rendering  of  the  R.  V.  marg.  '  every  building '  is  best.  The  picture 
is  that  of  a  great  pile  of  buildings  being  gradually  completed,  so 
that  each  separate  part  takes  its  place  in  the  whole  design  and 
perfects  it.  The  great  temple  at  Ephesus  may  well  have  suggested 
the  image  to  the  Apostle's  mind  (see  Introduction,  p,  15).  Cifero 
has  a  striking  sentence  in  his  Dream  of  Scipio  that  forms  an 
interesting  parallel  : — '  The  whole  world  is  well  called  the  Temple 
of  God.  Whoever  is  introduced  into  this  temple,  let  him  know 
that  he  ought  to  live  as  if  he  were  a  priest.' 

The  word  '  building '  has  the  same  ambiguity  in  Greek  that 
it  has  in  English,  so  is  suitably  employed  of  the  parts  of  the 
whole,  no  one  of  which  might  at  any  moment  be  called  a 
'  structure.' 

groweth :  the  present  tense  indicates  the  process  as  always 
going  on. 

a  holy  temple.  The  Greek  order  is  '  a  temple  holy  in  the 
Lord,'  and  this  brings  out  the  meaning  more  clearly.  The  holiness 
consists  in  the  growing  into  Christ. 

22.  ye  .  .  .  are  builded  :  again  the  present  tense  to  mark  the 
process;  cf.  i  Pet,  ii.  5.  The  '  together' marks  the  unity  of  Greek 
and  Jew. 

for  a  habitation :  the  marginal  '  into  '  is  better. 
in  the  Spirit :    these  words  describe  the  method  of  God's 
indwelling.     It  is  by  His  Spirit  that  He  inhabits  His  temple. 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS   3.   1-3  95 

For  this  cause  I  Paul,  the  prisoner  of  Christ  Jesus  in  3 
behalf  of  you  Gentiles, — if  so  be  that  ye  have  heard  of  2 
the  dispensation  of  that  grace  of  God  which  was  given 
me   to   you-ward ;    how   that   by   revelation  was   made  3 

iii.  X-13.  God^s  commission  to  Paul,  the  Jew,  to  cany  the  gospel 
to  the  Gentiles.     His  sufferings  a  seal  of  his  ministry. 

Paul  has  sympathetic  knowledge  of  the  former  and  latter  state 
of  the  Gentile  Christians.  He  is  a  prisoner  owing  to  his  zeal  on 
their  behalf.  His  knowledge  of  the  gospel  came  direct  from 
Christ  himself.  It  is  a  recent  revelation  to  the  world,  this  glorious 
truth  that  God's  grace  is  alike  free  to  men  of  every  nation,  and 
God  has  empowered  him  to  be  the  herald  of  the  glad  tidings.  He 
was  in  himself  a  most  unworthy  messenger,  but  God  fitted  him  for 
the  task.  It  was  a  new  message  for  the  world,  but  not  a  new 
thought  in  the  heart  of  God.  Naj'^,  it  was  His  eternal  purpose,  and 
He  designs  the  church  to  be  a  witness  to  all  His  universe  of  the 
perfect  work  of  His  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  through  whom  all  may 
come  to  the  Father.  There  is  no  need,  therefore,  that  his  friends 
should  be  discouraged  at  Paul's  imprisonment,  for  the  Divine  path 
of  glory  leads  through  suffering.  If  they  share  in  the  one,  they 
will  share  in  the  other. 

1.  For  this  cause  :  i.  e.  knowing  the  former  and  latter  condition 
of  the  Gentile  converts  he  can  understand  their  needs  and  how  to 
pray  for  them. 

the  prisoner  of  Christ  Jesus.  Cf.  iv.  i  ;  Philem.  9 ; 
2  Tim.  i.  8. 

you  Gentiles:  the  clause  is  abruptly  broken  off,  the  word 
'  Gentiles '  leading  him  to  think  of  another  subject.  We  do  not  find 
the  continuation  of  the  idea  introduced  by  the  words  'for  this 
cause '  until  verse  14  is  reached,  and  not  till  iv.  i  do  we  find  the 
relevancy  of  the  title  '  prisoner.'  His  zeal  on  behalf  of  the 
Gentiles  had  led  to  his  imprisonment ;  cf.  Acts  xxi.  21,  28,  xxii.  22. 
Some  versions,  and  many  interpreters,  understand  the  verb  '  to 
be, 'and  read,  'For  this  cause  I  am  the  prisoner,'  but  the  explanation 
above  given  is  much  more  consistent  with  Paul's  manner  of  writing, 
and  also  with  his  thought.  It  is  not  like  him  to  give  such  promin- 
ence to  his  imprisonment  as  to  bring  it  in  as  the  culmination  of 
his  great  argument. 

2.  if  so  be  that  ye  have  heard :  these  words  are  an  indication 
that  the  Apostle  had  not  visited  those  to  whom  he  is  writing,  and 
so  that,  at  least,  the  Epistle  is  not  destined  exclusively  for  the 
church  at  Ephesus. 

the  dispensation  of  that  g-race.  It  is  the  'grace,'  not  the 
*  stewardship,'  that  was  given  for  the  help  of  the  Gentiles. 


96  TO  THE  EPHESIANS   3.  4,  5 

known  unto  me  the  mystery,  as  I  wrote  afore  in  few 

4  words,  whereby,  when   ye   read,   ye   can   perceive   my 

5  understanding  in  the  mystery  of  Christ ;  which  in  other 
generations  was  not  made  known  unto  the  sons  of  men, 
as  it  hath  now  been  revealed  unto  his  holy  apostles  and 

3.  the  mystery.  The  reference  of  the  word  (see  i.  9  and  note) 
is  apparently  to  the  truth  of  the  inchision  of  the  Gentiles  in  the 
blessings  of  the  gospel ;  see  verse  6. 

as  I  wrote  afore  in  few  words.  The  reference  is  doubtless 
to  the  immediately  preceding  paragraphs  about  the  Gentiles  and 
their  privileges. 

4.  when  ye  read :  in  the  original  this  is  one  word — a  present 
participle — meaning  '  while  reading  '  or  '  as  ye  read.'  Hort  thinks 
the  reference  is  to  the  reading  of  the  O.  T.  prophets,  but  this 
seems  a  forced  and  unnecessary  interpretation.  The  natural 
reference  is  to  the  preceding  passage  of  the  Epistle. 

the  mystery  of  Christ:  cf.  Col.  iv.  3,  i.e.  the  free  admission 
of  the  Gentiles  to  the  privileges  of  the  new  covenant.  Some  have 
considered  the  language  here  used  to  be  boastful,  and  therefore 
not  to  be  attributed  to  Paul.  This  they  have  used  as  an  argument 
against  the  authenticity  of  the  Epistle.  But  it  seems  natural  and 
fitting  that  he  should  remind  his  readers  how  great  an  authority, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  he  is  on  this  question  of  the  position  and 
privileges  of  the  Gentiles.  It  w^as  a  matter  vital  to  those  to  whom 
he  writes.  It  would  seem,  too,  that  they  were  face  to  face  with 
false,  Judaizing  teachers,  and  therefore  had  the  more  pressing  need 
to  have  this  truth  confirmed.  If  he  was  personally  unknown  to 
his  correspondents  there  was  the  more  need  for  his  vindicating 
his  right  to  give  an  authoritative  utterance  on  the  question.  That 
self-laudation  is  far  enough  from  his  thoughts  is  shewn  by  the 
language  of  verse  8. 

5.  in  other  gfenerations :  some  have  rendered,  but  not  so  well, 
*  to  other  generations,'  viz.  *  to  the  sons  of  men.' 

sons  of  men  :  an  O.  T.  equivalent  for  '  men';  has  its  only  N.  T. 
parallel  in  Mark  iii.  28. 

holy  apostles  and  prophets;  Some  have  taken  exception  to 
the  epithet  *holy'  as  applied  by  Paul  here  to  the  class  to  which 
he  himself  belonged.  In  order  to  avoid  the  supposed  presumption 
it  has  been  suggested  to  put  a  comma  after  the  word  *  holy '  and 
take  it  as  a  noun,  translating,  *to  the  saints,  his  apostles  and 
prophets.'  But  why  should  he  not  use  the  epithet,  when  all 
Christians  are  addressed  as  saints  ?  Cf.  i.  i  ;  r  Cor.  vi.  2  and 
Col.  i.  26  (where  the  Apostle  himself  is  included). 

A  more  real  difiiculty  arises  when  we  ask,  How  could  Paul  say 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS   3.  6-9  97 

prophets  in  the  Spirit ;    to  wit^   that  the  Gentiles  are  6 
fellow-heirs,  and  fellow-members  of  the  body,  and  fellow- 
partakers  of  the  promise  in  Christ  Jesus  through  the 
gospel,   whereof  I  was  made  a  minister,   according  to  7 
the  gift  of  that  grace  of  God  which  was  given  me  ac- 
cording to  the  working  of  his  power.     Unto  me,  who  8 
am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,  was  this  grace  given, 
to  preach  unto  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ ;  and  to  make  all  men  see  what  is  the  dispensation  9 

that  the  truth  of  the  inclusion  of  the  Gentiles  in  the  blessings  of 
the  kingdom  had  been  revealed  to  the  apostles  as  a  whole,  when 
here  and  elsewhere  he  speaks  of  this  declaration  as  a  special 
feature  of  his  own  ministry  ?  So  strongly  has  this  objection  been 
felt  that  some  have  rejected  the  latter  half  of  this  verse  as  a  later 
addition.  There  is  no  MS.  authority  for  such  a  course,  and  it  is, 
at  best,  an  arbitrary  way  of  solving  the  problem.  The  most 
satisfactory  answer  is  to  say  that  Paul,  long  before  this  letter  was 
written,  had  brought  the  others  round  to  his  point  of  view; 
cf.  Acts  XV.  and  Gal.  ii.  7-10. 

in  the  Spirit.  These  words  are  to  be  closely  connected  with 
the  word  '  revealed,'  i.  e.  '  revealed  in  the  Spirit  unto.' 

6.  fellow-heirs  .  .  .  fellow-memhers  .  .  .  fellow-partakers. 
'The  accumulation  of  epithets  is  due  to  the  importance  of  the 
matter;  there  is  no  climax,  for  ''  fellow-partakers"  is  not  stronger 
than  '<  fellow-members  " '  (Abbott). 

*J.  In  this  verse  the  piling  up  of  words  to  emphasize  the 
Godward  side  of  the  Apostle's  ministry  is  noteworthy. 

8.  less  than  the  least.  This  represents  one  word  in  Greek, 
and  it  is  a  very  remarkable  one.  He  boldly  builds  it  up  of 
a  superlative  form  with  a  comparative  termination.  His  thought 
is  like  a  torrent  that  overflows  all  customary  limits  and  must  cut 
for  itself  a  new  channel.  For  the  mental  and  spiritual  attitude  the 
word  denotes,  we  may  compare  the  well-known  utterances  of 
Augustine,  Bunyan,  and  Samuel  Rutherford,  e.  g,  '  The  less  sin  the 
more  sense  of  sin,'  '  The  best  saints  are  the  most  sensible  of  sin.' 

unsearchable.  *  How  canst  thou  preach  these  riches  if  they 
are  unsearchable  ? '  asks  one  of  the  Greek  Fathers  ^,  and  answers 
his  own  question  in  the  words,  '  This  very  thing,  says  the  Apostle, 
I  preach,  that  they  are  unsearchable.' 

9.  to  make  all  men  see.  The  marginal  reading, '  bring  to  light 
what  is,'  is  preferable.     The  insertion  of  the  word  'all'  has  large 

^  Theodoret. 
(8)  H 


98  TO  THE  EPHESIANS   3.  lo,  n 

of  the  mystery  which  from  all  ages  hath  been  hid  in  God 

10  who  created  all  things ;  to  the  intent  that  now  unto  the 
principalities  and  the  powers  in  the  heavenly  places 
might  be  made  known  through  the  church  the  manifold 

11  wisdom  of  God,  according  to  the  eternal  purpose  which 

MS.  authority,  but  it  is  easy  to  understand  how  it  might  have 
crept  in,  since  the  verb  seemed  to  require  an  object.  Both  from 
usage  and  from  the  shade  of  meaning  so  given,  the  reading  that 
omits  the  word  is  the  better  one.  The  emphasis  is  then  laid  on 
the  revelation. 

dispensation.  The  traditional  text,  followed  by  the  A.  V., 
reads  '  fellowship '  here — a  curious  variant,  poorly  supported  by 
MS.  authorit3^  The  meaning  of '  dispensation'  here  is  '  arrange- 
ment' or  'administration.'  The  'mystery'  is  that  referred  to  in 
the  earlier  verses  of  this  chapter,  viz.  the  admission  of  the  Gentiles 
to  the  privileges  of  God's  kingdom.  The  administration  of  this 
was  Paul's  peculiar  task. 

from  all  agfes  is  literally  '  from  the  ages,  'and  finds  its  only  N.  T. 
parallel  in  Col.  i.  26.     The  phrase  means  '  from  the  beginning.' 

wlio  created  all  thing's.  The  A.  V.,  on  the  authority  of  the 
traditional  text,  adds  *  by  Jesus  Christ,'  which  gives  the  words 
a  reference  to  the  new  spiritual  creation.  But  there  can  be  no 
question  the  reading  of  the  R.  V.  is  the  correct  one.  What  then 
is  the  force  of  the  words?  Probably  God's  creative  power  is 
cited  as  sufficient  reason  for  His  right  to  hide  or  reveal  when  and 
how  He  wills.  The  connexion  with  the  preceding  words,  which 
some  suggest,  so  as  to  read  '  created  all  things  in  order  to  reveal 
in  the  church  His  varied  wisdom,'  introduces  additional  difficulty 
without  sufficient  warrant. 

10.  unto  the  principalities,  &c.  :  cf  i  Pet.  i.  12,  '  which  things 
angels  desire  to  look  into,'  and  Col.  ii.  10-15  with  notes.  The 
mystery  is  worthy  the  consideration  of  angels.  The  church  is 
to  be  the  instrument  in  this  revelation. 

manifold.  The  idea  conveyed  is  probably  that  of  Heb.  i.  i, 
*  God,  having  of  old  time  spoken  ...  by  divers  portions  and  in 
divers  manners.'  Some  of  the  Greek  interpreters  refer  the  word 
to  the  contrast  between  the  old  dispensation  and  the  new.  *  Now,' 
says  one  (quoted  by  Abbott  in  loco),  '  the  wisdom  of  God  is  known 
no  longer  as  simple,  but  as  manifold,  producing  contraries  by 
contraries  ;  by  death,  life  :  by  dishonour,  glory  :  by  sin,  righteous- 
ness: by  a  curse,  blessing  :  by  weakness,  power.' 

11.  eternal:  the  lit.  meaning,  'purpose  of  the  ages,' is  given  in 
the  margin,  and  '  eternal '  is  at  best  an  interpretation  that  may  be 
questioned.     It  is  at  least  as  likely  that  the  idea  Paul  meant  to 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  3.    12-15  99 

he  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord:    in  whom  we  12 
have   boldness   and   access  in  confidence  through  our 
faith  in  him.     Wherefore  I  ask.  that  ye  faint  not  at  my  13 
tribulations  for  you,  which  are  your  glory. 

For  this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father,  from  14,  15 

convey  was  that  expressed  by  Tennyson  in  the  line,  *  Through 
the  ages  one  increasing  purpose  runs.'  Two  interpretations  of 
purposed,  lit.  *  made,'  are  possible  :  the  reference  being  either  to 
the  *  formation  *  or  '  execution  '  of  the  purpose.  The  former  seems 
more  in  accordance  with  the  ordinary  meaning  of  the  idiom 
employed,  while  the  latter  seems  to  give  a  fuller  significance  to  the 
statement. 

12.  boldness.  The  word  so  rendered  means  originally 'freedom 
of  speech,'  and  is  frequently  so  used  in  the  N.  T.,  e.  g.  Acts  iv.  13  ; 
a  Cor.  iii.  12.  The  '  Outspoken '  (a  form  derived  from  this  word) 
is  a  name  Lucian  gives  himself  in  one  of  his  dialogues.  As  the 
idea  of  freedom  of  speech  denotes  courage,  so  the  conception  of 
lack  of  fear,  and  hence  *  confidence,'  grew  out  of  the  primary 
meaning;  'access,'  cf.  ii.  18,  is  here  used  in  the  intransitive  sense. 
Meyer  compares  Rom.  viii.  38,  39  for  a  grand  expression  of  the 
idea  here  stated  in  simpler  terms. 

faith  in  Mm :  lit.  '  his  faith,'  i.  e.  faith  which  has  him  for  its 
object,  which  springs  from  and  centres  in  him. 

13.  'The  greater  the  office,  the  less  becoming  would  it  be  to 
lose  heart '  (Abbott). 

As  the  margin  indicates,  two  interpretations  are  possible,  either, 
'  I  ask  that  I  may  not  faint,'  or,  '  I  ask  that  ye  may  not  faint.' 
The  latter  seems,  on  every  ground,  much  more  probable ;  cf 
Phil.  ii.  17. 

wMcli  are  your  g^lory.  The  Greek  verb,  as  the  R.  V.  margin 
indicates,  is  in  the  singular,  since  the  relative  pronoun  (a  specially 
emphatic  form)  embraces  the  whole  idea  that  has  preceded.  The 
tribulations  of  the  Apostle  make  up  one  whole  significant  fact, 
which  constitutes  the  glory  of  those  to  whom  he  is  writing. 

iii.  14-19.     A  prayer  for  the  knowledge  of  truth. 

Since  those  to  whom  he  writes  are  parts  of  the  spiritual  temple 
(see  chap.  ii.  ad  fin.),  and  sharers  in  the  Divine  life,  he  prays  most 
earnestly  that  they  may  possess  the  best  gifts  the  Divine  Father 
can  bestow.  He  would  have  them  increase  in  spiritual  power 
and  wisdom,  so  that  themselves  living  in  love  they  may  be  able 
to  interpret  the  secrets  of  the  eternal  love,  and  become  partakers 
of  His  perfect  fullness. 

14.  For  this  cause  :  cf  verse  i,  and  the  note  there. 

I  how  my  knees.     These  worde  indicate  the  earnestness  of 

H   2 


loo  TO  THE  EPHESIANS   3.   16,17 

whom  every  family  in  heaven  and  on  earth  is  named, 

16  that  he  would  grant  you,  according  to  the  riches  of  his 
glory,  that  ye  may  be  strengthened  with  power  through 

17  his  Spirit  in  the  inward  man;  that  Christ  may  dwell  in 
your  hearts  through  faith  ;  to  the  end  that  ye,  being  rooted 

the  prayer;  cf.  Luke  xxii.  41  (Jesus);  Acts  vii.  60  (Stephen), 
XX.  36  (Paul,  and  let  it  be  specially  noted  that  this  was  in  company 
with  the  Ephesian  elders).  The  ordinary  posture  in  prayer  was 
standing;  cf.  Mark  xi.  25  ;   Luke  xviii.  11,  13. 

unto  the  Father.  The  A.  V.,  following  the  traditional  text, 
adds  'of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,*  but  these  words  are  omitted  by 
the  best  MSS.  and  authorities.  It  is  not  difficult  to  understand  how 
they  could  be  inserted,  but  had  they  been  found  in  the  original  it 
is  not  easy  to  account  for  their  being  dropped.  The  idea  of  the 
fatherhood  is  purposely  made  as  universal  as  possible  in  this 
connexion. 

15.  from  whom  ...  is  named :  i.  e.  gets  its  name  of  fatherhood 
from  Him  ;  cf.  John  xvii.  21.  The  earthly  families  have  received 
whatever  truth  of  such  high  relationship  they  have  attained  from 
the  eternal  fatherhood  of  God,  and  all  that  springs  from  it.  The 
R. V.  margin  reads  'fatherhood'  as  the  translation  of  the  word 
rendered  'family'  in  the  text,  but  it  has  been  denied  that  the 
word  ever  bears  this  meaning.  Since  several  of  the  Greek 
c:)mmentators  so  understood  it,  the  modern  writers  may  very 
well  be  mistaken.  Either  rendering  has  its  difficulties,  mainly 
arising  out  of  the  question  how  we  are  to  interpret  the  words 
'e%'ery  family  'or  fatherhood)  in  heaven.'  By  some  it  is  under- 
stood of  the  '  angels,'  who  are  considered  as  belonging  to  groups, 
tribes,  or  families.  It  appears  to  be  most  easily  interpreted  in 
the  general  sense,  *  Whatever  is  denoted  by  family  relationship 
centring  in  the  thought  of  fatherhood — whether  these  societies 
exist  in  heaven  or  on  earth — gains  all  the  richness  of  its  meaning 
from  the  fatherhood  of  God,  of  which  every  true  element  in  it  is 
a  reflexion.' 

16.  riches  of  his  glory:  cf.  Rom.  ix.  23. 

the  inward  man  is  obviously  '  the  higher  nature ' — '  the 
moral  Hfe'  of  man  ;  cf.  Rom.  vii.  22,  and  2  Cor.  iv.  16.  This  it 
is  that  the  Divine  Spirit  lays  hold  of  and  strengthens  in  purpose, 
resolve,  and  practice.  This  is  the  groundwork  of  all  systems  of 
idealistic  ethics,  from  that  of  Plato  in  the  ancient  world  down  to 
that  of  T.  H.  Green  in  modern  times.  Reason,  conscience,  and  will 
are  the  faculties  of  tlie  '  inward  man,'  and  these  the  Spirit  of  God 
can  regenerate,  and  refashion. 

17.  Cf.  John  xiv.  23  for  the  ground  of  the  prayer. 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS   3.   18, 19  loi 

and  grounded  in  love,  may  be  strong  to  apprehend  with  18 
all  the  saints  what  is  the  breadth  and  length  and  height 
and  depth,  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ  which  passeth  19 
knowledge,  that  ye  may  be  filled  unto  all  the  fulness  of 
God. 

The  word  rendered  dwell  occurs  again,  in  the  N.  T.,  only  in 
Col.  i.  19  and  ii.  9,  though  there  is  a  more  emphatic  compound 
in  2  Pet.  ii.  8. 

in  yoiir  hearts.  Neither  tongue  nor  brain  will  suflBce,  as 
Calvin  reminds  us. 

rooted  and  grounded  in  love.  A  slight  change  in  the  order 
of  the  words  seems  desirable,  viz.  'being  rooted  and  grounded  in 
love  to  the  end  that  ye  maybe  strong.'  This  not  only  corresponds 
closely  with  the  order  of  the  words  in  the  original,  but  gives  a 
clearer  meaning,  and  is  more  natural.  They  have  been  thoroughly 
grounded  in  love  that  they  may  be  capable  of  further  advance. 
Progress  will  be  safe  for  those  'broad-based' — the  highest  grace 
of  all. 

For  a  similar  mixture  of  metaphors  cf.  Col.  ii.  7,  '  rooted  and 
builded,'  and  i  Cor.  iii.  9,  '  God's  husbandry,  God's  building.' 
The  explanation  seems  to  be  that  the  words  are  not  used  at  all  as 
figures,  but  in  their  applied  sense. 

18.  may  be  strong^.  The  verb  is  used  only  here  in  the  N.  T., 
and  is  not  at  all  common  in  Greek  literature.  It  signifies  'to  be 
quite  able '  to  under-lake  a  task. 

wliat  is  the  breadth,  &:c.  The  object  to  which  these  qualities 
refer  is  left  indefinite,  but  seems  rightly  understood  as  the  'love 
of  Christ'  mentioned  in  the  follovi'ing  verse.  Others  have  under- 
stood '  the  mystery  *  (see  verse  4)  ;  the  dimensions  of  the  Christian 
temple  (see  ii.  21)  ;  or  a  combination  of  the  two,  but  the  nearer 
and  simpler  reference  seems  the  best.  The  older  commentators 
revelled  in  explanations  of  the  four  qualities,  but  in  those  allegorical 
flights  we  need  not  follow  them.  Nothing,  as  Calvin  says,  can  be 
less  after  the  mind  of  Paul  than  such  subtleties  of  interpretation. 

19.  to  know.  This  is  a  stronger  word  than  '  apprehend '  of  the 
preceding  verse. 

The  paradoxical  language  makes  the  magnitude  of  the  love  more 
evident.  The  reading  of  a  few  MSS.,  *  the  love  of  Christ  which 
passeth  the  love  of  knowledge,'  is  both  inadequately  supported  and 
unnecessary.  It  has  probably  originated  from  the  suggestion  of 
an  unimaginative  scribe.  For  once  Luther  has  shewn  himself 
unable  or  afraid  to  permit  himself  to  follow  the  idea  of  the  Apostle, 
and  gives  the  weal?  and  prosaic  interpretation,  '  to  love  Christ  is 
better  than  knowledge.' 

that  ye  may  be  filled,  &c.      This   clause  is   not  easy  of 


102  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  3.  20— 4.  i 

20  Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly 
above  all  that  we  ask  or  think,  according  to  the  power 

21  that  worketh  in  us,  unto  him  be  the  glory  in  the  church 
and  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  all  generations  for  ever  and 
ever.     Amen. 

4      I  therefore,  the  prisoner  in  the  Lord,  beseech  you  to 

interpretation,  and  has  been  very  variously  explained,  the  general 
thought  being,  *  that  ye  may  be  filled,  even  as  God  is  full.'  Others 
take  it  as  meaning,  'that  ye  may  have  God  fully  dwelling  in  you.' 
Men  said  of  Spinoza  that  he  was  *  a  God-intoxicated  man.'  The 
idea  is  justifiable,  but,  as  the  instance  quoted  shews,  is  easily 
capable  of  abuse. 

It  seems  most  satisfactory  to  interpret  the  words  in  a  general 
sense,  as  *  being  filled  with  all  moral  and  spiritual  qualities,  which 
God  designs  His  people  to  possess,  that  so  they  may  become 
"partakers  of  the  Divine  nature.'" 

iii.  20,  21.     An  outburst  of  praise. 

20.  Great  as  the  prayer  has  been,  greater  still  is  the  possibility 
of  fulfilment.  Paul  uses  his  favourite  excess  of  superlatives  to 
indicate  this  idea.  He  is  extremely  fond  of  words  compounded 
with  'beyond';  of  twent3'-eight  such  compounds  in  the  N.  T,,  it 
has  been  found  that  twenty-two  are  to  be  met  with  in  the  Epistles 
of  Paul  and  in  that  to  the  Hebrews,  and  twenty  of  them  do  not 
occur  outside  these  limits. 

21.  and  in  Christ  Jesns.  Many  authorities  for  the  text  omit 
'and.'  This  omission  would  emphasize  Christ's  vital  union  with 
the  church  as  being  that  which  enabled  it  truly  to  ascribe  glory  to 
God. 

This  grand  doxology  brings  to  a  fitting  conclusion  the  first  part 
of  the  Epistle. 

iv.  I- 16.     Outward  and  inward  unity. 

Paul  from  his  prison-house  beseeches  his  readers  to  present 
before  the  world  a  bearing  consistent  with  the  name  of  Christ, 
eagerly  endeavouring  to  shew  a  spirit  of  unity  and  peace.  This 
character  will  best  commend  their  faith,  which  is  based  on  unity — 
its  oneness  of  aim,  purpose,  and  origin  all  springing  from  the  one 
God  and  Father.  Christ,  who  is  on  earth  and  in  heaven,  manifests 
a  unity  in  diversity  through  his  manifold  working  in  the  agencies 
of  his  church — all  its  members  having  different  offices,  but  each 
contributing  to  its  destined  and  perfect  unity.  Not  only  so,  but 
each  individual  member  likewise  advances  to  a  firm-based  and 
wide-reaching  union  with  Christ.  This  living  fellowship,  under 
his  headship,  constitutes  the  consummation  of  the  church's  mission. 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  4.  2-4  103 

walk  worthily  of  the  calling  wherewith  ye  were  called, 
with    all    lowliness   and    meekness,    with    longsuffering,  2 
forbearing  one  another  in  love ;  giving  diligence  to  keep  3 
the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.     There  is  4 
one  body,  and  one  Spirit,  even  as  also  ye  were  called 

1.  His  description  of  himself  as  a  prisoner  adds  force  to  the 
words  that  follow,  since  if  a  prisoner  could  thus  speak  and  act, 
how  much  easier  must  it  be  for  the  majority  of  them. 

The  words  in  the  Lord  distinguish  the  character  of  his  imprison- 
ment from  that  of  others. 

2.  with  all  lowliness.  '  One  who  knows  himself  greater  in 
relation  to  others,  but  who  is  contented  to  be  treated  as  if  he  were 
less,  such  a  one  is  certainly  entitled  to  be  called  humble-minded  ; 
he  exhibits  lowliness'  (Abbott).  This  is  the  mark  of  most  truly 
great  characters. 

lonsrsuffering.  The  original  word  is  found  with  two  shades 
of  meaning:  (i)  steadfastness  in  enduring  suffering,  cf.  Jas.  v.  lo  ; 
Col.  i.  ir,  and  (2)  forbearance,  which  is  its  ordinary  significance 
in  the  N.  T.  ;  cf.  Col.  iii.  12 ;  Gal,  v.  22.  The  lexicons  and 
commentators  quote  a  fine  sentence  from  Menander  in  which  the 
word  occurs  :  '  Never  ask  from  God  freedom  from  trouble,  but 
longsuffering.'  In  this  case  it  is  used  in  the  former  of  the  two 
senses. 

forbearingf  one  another  in  love  is  the  active  manifestation 
of  the  qualitj^  of  character  designated  '  longsuffering.* 

3.  sriving*  diligence.  The  A.  V.  renders  '  endeavouring,'  which 
is  said  to  have  had  the  meaning  of  'giving  diligence'  in  161 1. 
Elsewhere,  however,  the  word  in  the  original  is  not  so  rendered, 
save  in  two  instances  (i  Thess.  ii.  17  and  2  Pet.  i.  15),  where 
failure  is  either  possible  or  actual. 

the  unity  of  the  Spirit  is  regarded  as  an  actual  possession  to 
be  carefully  guarded. 

the  bond  of  peace :  i.  e.  the  bond  that  consists  in  peace.  In 
Col.  iii.  14  'love'  is  spoken  of  as  the  bond. 

4-6.  Tlie  various  aspects  of  the  unity  of  the  whole  Christian 
fellowship  is  in  these  verses  set  forth  in  an  ascending  scale. 

(i)  The  spiritual  character  of  the  church — one  body,  one  spirit, 
one  hope. 

(2)  The  Source  and  manifestation  of  this  unity — one  Lord,  one 
faith,  one  baptism. 

(3)  The  Divine  Author  of  all  in  the  threefold  aspect  of  His 
absolute  unity — above,  through,  and  in  all. 

4.  There  is  no  connecting  word  at  all  to  open  this  verse.  In 
a  sudden  and  vivid  utterance  the  Apostle  proclaims  the  truth  on 


I04  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  4.  5-S 

5  in  one  hope  of  your  calling ;  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one 

6  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  over  all,  and 

7  through  all,  and  in  all.     But  unto  each  one  of  us  was 
the  grace  given  according  to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of 

8  Christ.     Wherefore  he  saith, 

which  he  wishes  to  insist — '  One  body  and  one  spirit.'  Note  the 
emphasis  on  the  idea  of  unity  in  God,  in  the  instruments  of 
redemption,  and  in  the  church. 

one  hope  of  your  callingf.  Hope  is  one  of  the  necessary 
accompaniments  of  their  calling.  To  be  a  Christian  is  to  be  a  man 
of  hope  ;  cf.  Col.  i.  27  ;  i  Tim.  i.  i,  and  i  John  iii.  3, 

5.  one  baptism.  It  has  been  asked  why  the  other  sacrament 
is  not  mentioned,  a  form  of  question  that  is  difficult  to  answer. 
It  is  always  easier  to  explain  what  an  author  says  than  to  account 
for  what  he  leaves  unsaid.  Paul's  insistence  on  the  bearing  of 
the  Communion  of  the  Lord's  Supper  on  the  subject  of  unity  in 
I  Cor,  X.  17,  where  he  says,  'seeing  that  we,  who  are  many,  are 
one  bread,  one  bod}' ;  for  w^e  all  partake  of  the  one  bread,*  would 
seem  to  favour  the  likelihood  of  its  introduction  here.  Probably 
the  Apostle  took  the  one  sacrament  as  implying  the  other,  and  also 
was  influenced  by  the  rhetorical  device  he  here  adopts  of  arranging 
his  successive  clauses  in  triads. 

6.  in  all.  The  '  in  you  all'  of  the  A.  V.  follows  the  reading  of 
a  few  minor  authorities.  A  better  authenticated  reading  is  '  in  us 
all,'  but  the  best  is  that  of  the  text,  which  omits  the  pronoun. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  form  of  the  adjectives  to  decide  whether 
they  are  masculine  or  neuter,  but  the  majority  decide  in  favour  of 
the  former.  To  understand  them  as  neuter  would  be  too  pantheistic 
to  be  Pauline,  over  all  obviously  designates  rulership;  through 
all  probabl}'  denotes  '  a  sustaining  and  working  presence';  while 
'in  all'  obviously  refers  to  the  indwelling  of  the  Divine  Spirit. 

7.  Cf.  Rom.  xii.  4-6 ;   i  Cor.  xii.  4,  &c. 

the  g'race.  The  definite  article  points  to  the  special  grace 
possessed  by  each  individual. 

according^  to  the  measure :  cf.  Rom.  xii.  6. 

8.  Wherefore  he  saith.  These  words  are  probably  better 
rendered,  'Wherefore  it  (i.  e.  the  Scripture)  saith,'  which  would 
naturally  be  expre^ed  in  English  by  the  indefinite  phrase, 
'  Wherefore  it  is  said.'  The  words  in  the  original  are,  literal!}', 
'  Wherefore  saith,'  and  it  is  only  conjecture  that  supplies  '  he,' 
meaning  '  God.'  Paul's  forms  of  introducing  quotations  vary, 
sometimes  'saith'  alone,  or  'the  Scripture  saith,'  or  'David  saith,' 
'  Isaiah  saith.'  Even  when  God  is  clearly  the  speaker  he  introduces 
Moses  or  Isaiah,  as  in  Rom.  x.  19,  20,  ix.  17.     There  is  not  there- 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  4.  8  105 

When  he  ascended  on  high,  he  led  captivity  captive, 
And  gave  gifts  unto  men. 

fore  any  reasonable  ground  for  supplying  '  God '  as  the  subject 
here,  and  raising,  on  that  score,  an  additional  difficulty  about  the 
words  that  are  treated  as  a  quotation.  Cf.  also  v.  14  and  note, 
where  the  same  form  of  expression  is  found. 

Wlieu  he  ascended,  tec.  These  words  are  a  reminiscence, 
but  not  an  exact  quotation,  of  Ps.  Ixviii.  18.  No  attempted 
explanation  can  at  all  satisfactorily  prove  that  they  are  a  quotation. 
They  are  the  words  of  a  well-known  passage  adapted  to  the 
Apostle's  purpose,  as  is  often  done  in  the  case  of  our  own  poets. 
It  has  been  found  that  there  was  a  traditional  Rabbinic  interpre- 
tation of  the  verse  similar  to  that  given  to  it  here  by  Paul.  He 
may  not,  therefore,  have  originated  the  alteration,  but,  in  any 
case,  he  adopts  it.  The  words  of  the  Psalm,  quoting  from  the 
R.  V.  are— 

^Thou  hast  ascended  on  high,  thou  hast  led  i/iy  captivity 

captive  ; 
Thou  hast  received  gifts  among  men.' 
No  amount  of  argument  can  make  'received'  equivalent  to  'gave,' 
and  the  only  satisfactory  explanation  seems  to  be  that  the  word 
is  deliberately  altered  to  suit  the  purpose  the  writer  has  in  view. 
He  does  not  base  any  argument  on  the  quotation,  he  simply 
introduces  it  as  descriptive  of  Christ's  action. 

lie  led  captivity  captive.  These  words  mean,  '  he  took 
captive  a  body  of  captives,'  not  '  he  took  captive  the  power  that 
captured  them,'  as  it  is  often  misinterpreted. 

The  whole  Epistle  has  been  termed  by  Dr.  Kay,  *  the  Christians' 
68th  Psalm,'  and  other  possible  reminiscences  of  the  psalm  may 
be  traced  in  the  following  parallels,  which  are  given  by  W.  Lock 
in  the  article  on  this  Epistle  in  Hastings'  Dictionary  0/  the  Bible  : — 

ii.  22  :  '  ye  also  are  builded  together  for  a  habitation  of  God  in 
the  Spirit.* 

Ps.  Ixviii.  17  :  'The  Lord  is  among  them,  as  in  Sinai,  in  the 
sanctuary.' 

iii.  16  and  vi.  10  :  *  that  ye  may  be  strengthened  with  power 
through  his  Spirit  in  the  inward  man.'  '  Be  strong  in  the  Lord, 
and  in  the  strength  of  his  might.' 

Ps.  Ixviii.  28,  35  :  *  Thy  God  hath  commanded  thy  strength  : 
Strengthen,  O  God,  that  which  thou  hast  wrought  for  us.'  '  The 
God  of  Israel,  he  giveth  strength  and  power  unto  his  people.' 

V.  19  :  '  singing  and  making  melody  with  your  heart  to  the 
Lord.' 

Ps.  Ixviii.  3,4:'  let  the  righteous  be  glad ;  let  them  exult  before 
God  :  .  .  .  sing  unto  God,  sing  praises  to  his  name.' 


io6  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  4.  9-1 1 

9  (Now  this,  He  ascended,  what  is  it  but  that  he  also 

10  descended  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth?     He  that 
descended  is  the  same  also  that  ascended  far  above  all 

11  the  heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all  things.)     And  he  gave 

9.  Now  this:  i.  e.  the  idea  conveyed  by  the  word  *  ascended.' 
he  also  descended.    Many  of  the  best  authorities  add  '  first,' 

as  in  the  text  of  A.  V.  and  margin  of  R.V.  The  weight  of 
evidence  seems  greater  for  its  omission  than  its  insertion,  which 
seems  to  have  taken  place  very  early  as  an  explanatory  note 
introduced  from  the  margin  by  a  copyist. 

the  lower  parts  of  the  earth.  These  words  are  capable 
of  two  interpretations:  either  (i)  'The  lower  as  opposed  to 
the  higher  parts  of  the  earth ' — which  ma^'  be  understood  as 
'  the  grave,'  or  as  '  Hades,'  the  land  of  departed  spirits ;  or  (2) 
'  the  lower  parts,'  viz.  those  of  earth  :  i.  e.  the  phrase  is  equiva- 
lent to  *  this  lower  earth.' 

The  latter  interpretation  seems  preferable.  Then  arises  the 
question  of  what  are  the  descent  and  ascent  to  be  understood. 
On  the  former  interpretation  of  '  the  lower  parts,'  either  the 
'  grave '  with  reference  to  the  death  of  Christ,  or  '  Hades '  with 
reference  to  his  mysterious  ministry  to  the  'spirits'  in  prison, 
have  been  understood  as  '  the  descent.'  The  usages  of  similar 
phrases  elsewhere  are  against  these  interpretations,  for  the  words 
would  probably  have  been  clearer  and  more  definite,  and  since 
the  ascent  is  from  earth  to  heaven,  it  is  more  than  probable  that 
the  descent  is  from  heaven  to  earth. 

On  the  latter  view,  however,  two  interpretations  are  still 
possible.  The  most  general  one  is  to  understand  the  reference 
as  being  to  the  Incarnation  and  Ascension.  It  does  not  appear, 
however,  that  this  explains  the  purpose  of  the  reference,  viz.  the 
'  giving  of  gifts,'  and  therefore  several  modern  commentators 
have  adopted  the  view  that  the  descent  referred  to  is  that  of 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  cf.  John  xiv.  23.  The  descent  of  Christ  that  is 
of  value  to  his  church,  that  insures  its  unity,  is  his  dwelling  in 
its  members  by  his  Spirit.  This  seems  to  give  the  fullest  and 
most  suitable  meaning  to  the  passage. 

10.  above  all  the  heavens.  This  is  probably  an  allusion  to 
the  Jewish  belief  in  seven  heavens ;  cf.  2  Cor.  xii.  2  and  Hcb.  iv. 
14  with  notes  ;  also  cf.  Ps.  cxlviii.  4. 

that  he  migrht  fill  all  thingfs.  This  is  the  end  and  purpose 
of  Christ's  sovereignty  ;  cf.  i.  22,23. 

11.  Some  of  the  'gifts'  are  now  enumerated,  apostles:  for 
their  qualifications  see  Acts  i.  8,  21-23 '»  ^  Cor.  ix.  i,  2.  In 
addition   to   the    'Twelve,'   Barnabas   (Acts   xiv.    4,    14,    James 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  4.  12,13  107 

some  to  be  apostles ;   and  some,  prophets  ;   and  some, 
evangelists ;   and  some,  pastors  and  teachers ;    for  the  1 2 
perfecting  of  the  saints,  unto  the  work  of  ministering, 
unto  the  building  up  of  the  body  of  Christ :  till  we  all  13 

the  Lord's  brother  (i  Cor.  xv.  7),  and  Silvanus  (i  Thess.  ii.  6) 
are  so  called.  In  Phil.  ii.  25  we  have  the  title  given  to 
Epaphroditus  (see  R.  V.   margin). 

prophets  are  preachers.     Cf.  Acts  xv.  32  ;  i  Cor.  xiv.  3. 

evangelists :  probably  they  were  special  preachers  to  the 
heathen  under  the  direction  of  the  Apostle.  Timothy  is  specially 
told  (2  Tim.  iv.  5)  to  undertake  this  among  his  other  duties. 
See  also  Acts  xxi.  8. 

pastors  and  teachers.  Do  these  words  denote  two  separate 
offices,  or  two  aspects  of  one  office  ?  There  is  something  in  the 
form  of  the  Greek  expression  that  leads  one  to  incline  to  the 
latter  view.  On  the  other  hand,  it  seems  strange  that  in  such 
a  list  one  class  should  have  a  double  designation.  The  class 
or  classes,  however,  would  be  more  fixed  in  situation  than  the 
former,  and  would  be  attached  to  a  special  place.  The  word 
rendered  'pastor'  is  literally  'shepherd.'  Homer  calls  Agamemnon 
*a  shepherd  (pastor)  of  men*;  cf.  John  xxi.  16,  17;  i  Pet.  ii. 
25,  V.  2. 

12.  for  the  perfectiugf,  &c.  There  is  some  question  whether 
the  three  clauses  of  this  verse  be  co-ordinate,  or  the  two  latter 
dependent  on  the  first.  It  does  not  appear  to  me  that  Abbott's 
contention, t^s  against  the  latter  interpretation}  that  'ministering' 
must  in  such  a  context  have  an  'official'  sense,  is  valid,  and 
on  all  other  considerations  this  view  of  the  words  seems  the 
best.  The  idea  would  then  be  that  these  specially  gifted  men 
should  stir  up  the  saints  to  further  service,  and  so  the  circle  of 
blessing  widen. 

The  word  rendered  'perfecting'  occurs  here  only  in  the  N.  T. 
It  is  used  by  medical  writers  for  the  setting  of  a  dislocated  limb. 
The  verb  from  which  it  comes  is  used  literally  of  '  mending '  nets 
(Matt.  iv.  21),  and  figuratively  of  restoring*  sinners  (Gal.  vi.  i). 
unto  the  "building  up  of  the  body :  on  the  mixture  ot 
metaphors  see  iii.  17  and  note.  Cf.  verse  16  and  also  i  Cor.  viii. 
10,  and  I  Thess.  v.  11. 

13.  we  all:  i.e.  the  whole  church.  Note  .the  fine  contrasts 
in  these  two  verses  : — '  fullgrown  man'  versus  'children* ;  'unity 
of  the  faith'  versus  'tossed  to  and  fro  and  carried  about  with 
every  wind  of  doctrine'  ('all  wind  is  destructive  of  unity,'  says 
Bengel)  ;  'the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God'  versus  'the  sleight 
of  men  '  and  '  the  wiles  of  error.* 


io8  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  4.  J4-16 

attain  unto  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  Son   of  God,  unto  a  fullgrown  man,  unto  the 

14  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ :  that 
we  may  be  no  longer  children,  tossed  to  and  fro  and 
carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight 

15  of  men,  in  craftiness,  after  the  wiles  of  error;  but 
speaking  truth  in  love,  may  grow  up  in  all  things  into 

16  him,  which  is  the  head,  even  Christ ;  from  whom  all 
the  body  fitly  framed  and  knit  together  through  that 
which  every  joint  supplieth,  according  to  the  working 
in  due  measure  of  each  several  part,  maketh  the  increase 
of  the  body  unto  the  building  up  of  itself  in  love. 

stature.  The  word  is,  in  all  probability,  more  accurately 
rendered  'maturity,'  It  was  used  ambiguously  in  Greek  of  age 
and  stature  (cf.  Luke  xii.  25  and  note),  and  apparently  only  the 
context  decided  which  meaning  was  appropriate. 

14.  tossed  to  and  fro.  It  is  best  to  understand  the  words  as 
denoting  men  being  tossed  to  and  fro  ^ like  waves'  rather  than  *  by 
waves'  ;  cf.  Jas.  i.  8  ;  Jude  12. 

slei^lit.  The  Greek  word  meant  originally  'dice-playing,' 
hence  '  trickery.'  For  the  class  of  metaphor  cf.  Phil.  ii.  30  and 
the  note  there. 

wiles.  The  word  so  translated  occurs  only  here  and  in 
vi.  II,  but  the  meaning  is  clear  enough  from  kindred  forms 
of  the  same   root. 

15.  speaking  truth.  This  translation  appears  to  limit  too 
much  the  force  of  the  Greek  word,  which  refers  rather  to  all 
conduct.  The  marginal  rendering,  '  dealing  truly,'  is  therefore 
more  satisfactory.  Were  a  verbal  form  possible  in  English, 
'  truthing  it  in  love '  would  be  the  equivalent.  The  words  were 
the  favourite  motto  of  the  late  John  Stuart  Blackie,  who  used 
frequently  to  write  them  on  the  outside  of  envelopes  in  which  he 
sent  letters  to  his  friends. 

16.  through  .  .  .  supplieth:  the  rendering  of  the  margin 
'  through  every  joint  of  the  supply  '  is  the  literal  translation 
of  the  Greek  words,  and  that  rendered  'joint'  really  means 
'contact.'  In  Col.  ii.  19  the  word  is  used  in  the  plural.  Here 
we  may  translate,  '  through  every  contact  with  the  supply.' 

in  due  measure.  The  connexion  of  the  words  'in  measure* 
may  be  either  with  *  working,'  or  with  the  phrase,  '  of  each 
several  part.'    In  the  latter  case,  we  must  understand  the  meaning 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS   4.   17,18  109 

This  I  say  therefore,  and  testify  in  the  Lord,  that  ye  17 
no  longer  walk  as  the  Gentiles  also  walk,  in  the  vanity 
of  their  mind,  being  darkened  in  their  understanding,  18 
alienated  from  the  life  of  God  because  of  the  ignorance 

to  be,  '  commensurate  with  each  several  part,'  but  the  preposition 
*  in '  does  not  convey  this  sense.  In  the  former  case,  the  expression 
is  modelled  on  that  in  verse  7,  and  the  meaning  is  intelligible, 
'according  to  the  proportionate  working.'  The  emphasis  is  laid 
on  the  energy  of  the  living  organism.  The  entire  purpose  of  the 
words  is  to  lay  stress  upon  the  growth  of  the  whole,  to  which 
end  the  parts  must  be  duly  subordinated.  The  same  mixing  of 
metaphors  has  occurred  in  verse  12.  For  other  instances  see 
iii.  18  and  Col.  ii.  7.  The  word  'building'  seems,  to  a  great 
extent,  to  have  ceased  to  suggest  its  primary  meaning  to  the 
Apostle's  mind. 

iv.  17-32.     *  The  old  order  changeth^ 

The  Apostle,  in  light  of  the  great  thoughts  to  which  he  has  just 
given  utterance,  proceeds  to  urge  upon  his  readers  the  kind  of 
life  incumbent  upon  them.  It  must  be  marked  off  from  that  of 
their  heathen  neighbours  by  a  purity  and  beauty  of  holiness, 
to  which  those  unillumined  by  the  Divine  Spirit  are  perfect 
strangers.  Falsehood  is  to  be  exchanged  for  truth  ;  anger  and 
evil  passion,  for  gentleness  ;  dishonesty,  for  earnest  labour  that 
finds  its  reward  in  generosity.  Their  speech  is  to  be  cleansed  for 
the  sake  of  others  as  well  as  for  themselves.  Because  the  Holy 
Spirit  possesses  them,  they  are  to  do  His  will,  and  display  the 
gracious  bearing  that  will  mark  them  clearly  as  children  of  their 
Father  in  heaven. 

VI.  This  Z  say  therefore.  The  subject  of  verses  1-3  of  this 
chapter  is  now  resumed.  This  verse  puts  negatively  what  was 
stated  in  a  positive  form  in  the  first  verse  of  the  chapter. 

testily :  this  is  a  strong  word  =  '  protest.'  The  Apostle's 
urgent  demand  has  not  oxAy  Christ's  authority  behind  it,  but 
is  an  expression  of  that  new  life  that  all  possess  in  him,  and  so  is 
instinct  with  living  truth. 

as  the  Gentiles  .  .  .  walk.  The  A.  V.,  following  the  received 
text,  reads  '  the  other  Gentiles,'  but  the  best  authorities  are 
against  the  addition.  It  is  more  in  accordance  with  the  Apostle's 
fine  inherent  courtesy  (see  Philemon,  pp.  154,  155)  to  assume  the 
omission  genuine.  The  readers  are  no  longer  Gentiles  in  the 
spiritual  sense,  but  members  with  himself  of  the  Divine  common- 
wealth, and  citizens  of  the  great  city  (cf.  Phil.  i.  27). 

the  life  of  God:  it  is  the  new  life  in  union  with  God  of 


no  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  4.   19-21 

that  is  in  them,  because  of  the  hardening  of  their  heart ; 

19  who  being  past  feeh'ng  gave  themselves  up  to  lascivious- 

20  ness,  to  work  all  uncleanness  with  greediness.     But  ye 

21  did  not  so  learn  Christ;    if  so  be  that  ye  heard  him, 

which  the  Apostle  is  here  speaking.  This  was  something  quite 
inconceivable  to  the  heathen. 

'becatise  .  .  .  heart.  These  two  clauses  have  generally  been 
taken  as  co-ordinate,  but  it  seems  to  give  a  better  sense  if  we 
regard  the  second  as  dependent  on  the  first,  'because  of  the 
ignorance  that  is  in  them  arising  from  the  hardening  of  their 
heart.' 

hardening*:  the  A.  V.  translation  'blindness'  arose  from  a 
misconception  of  the  derivation  of  the  Greek  word.  The  root 
word  meant  originally  'volcanic  rock,'  and  secondarily  '  a  hardening 
of  the  skin.'  Hence  the  word  used  metaphorically  denoted 
'insensibility.' 

19.  being*  past  feeling :  this  word  keeps  up  the  idea  suggested 
by  the  metaphor  of  '  hardness'  in  the  preceding  verse.  Another 
meaning  is,  however,  sometimes  found  for  the  Greek  word,  viz. 
'giving  up  in  despair.'  It  is  in  that  sense  that  the  ordinary  Latin 
version  understands  the  word  in  this  passage.  The  meaning  of 
the  text  seems  the  one  best  authenticated, 

to  work.  The  marginal  rendering  'to  make  a  trade  of  must 
not  be  understood  literally,  as  if  they  actually  made  a  trade  of 
vice  and  received  profit  from  it,  but  the  word  implies  that  they 
pursued  it  eagerly  ;  cf.  'give  diligence'  in  Luke  xii.  58,  where  the 
same  noun  is  employed. 

greediness:  marg.  '  covetousness.'  The  word  so  rendered 
probably  means  something  much  stronger,  perhaps  '  excess '  or 
'immoderation.'  From  its  close  connexion  in  N.T.  usage  with 
words  denoting  sensual  sin  it  seems  almost  necessary  to  assume 
that  it  has  taken  that  special  complexion  in  the  Apostle's  vocabulary. 
Cf,  V.  5  ;  Col.  iii,  5  ;  Rom.  i.  29  ;  i  Thess.  iv.  6. 

20.  so  learn  Christ.  This  is  a  phrase  apparently  coined  by 
Paul,  and  is  a  fine  and  notable  use  of  language.  For  similar 
usages  cf,  Phil.  iii.  10;  Col.  ii.  6,  The  form  of  expression  '3'e 
did  not  so  learn '  is  that  termed  by  the  rhetoricians  litotes 
('plainness'),  whereby  the  speaker  uses  a  word  or  phrase  less 
strong  than  the  truth  he  means  to  convey,  that  he  may  emphasize 
his  thought  by  the  fact  of  the  conscious  contrast.  Another 
scriptural  instance  is  found  in  Deut.  xviii.  14,  'but  as  for  thee, 
the  Lord  thy  God  hath  not  suffered  thee  so  to  do.'  when  the 
meaning  is  '  has  strongly  forbidden.'  Paul's  description  of  himself 
as  '  a  citizen  of  no  mean  city,'  when  he  means  to  point  to  the 
great  importance  of  Tarsus,  is  another  instance. 


TO  THE  KPHESIANS  4.  22-2^  in 


3 


and  were  taught  in  liim,  even  as  truth  is  in  Jesus :  that  22 
ye  put  away,  as  concerning  your  former  manner  of  life, 
the  old  man,  which  waxeth  corrupt  after  the  lusts  of 
deceit;   and  that  ye  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  23 
mind,  and  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  hath  24 
been  created  in  righteousness  and  holiness  of  truth. 

Wherefore,   putting   away  falsehood,   speak   ye   truth  25 
each  one  with  his  neighbour :  for  we  are  members  one 


21.  if  so  "be:  the  use  of  this  expression  goes  to  strengthen  the 
opinion  that  Paul  is  here  writing  to  those  who  had  not  come 
under  his  personal  influence. 

in  him:  their  Christian  instruction  had  been  conveyed  to 
them  in  Hving  fellowship  with  Christ. 

as  truth  is  in  Jesus:  this  is  a  phrase  often  misquoted  in 
the  form,  *  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus/  The  teaching  they  had 
received  had  been  that  given  by  the  historical  Jesus.  His  words 
and  works  had  formed  the  basis  of  their  spiritual  instruction. 

Another  interpretation  is  adopted  by  some  scholars,  who  take 
Christ  to  be  the  subject,  and  render,  'as  he  is  truth  in  Jesus,'  or, 
the  word  for  *  truth '  being  in  the  oblique  case,  *  as  he  is  in  truth, 
in  Jesus.'  For  the  idea  thus  conveyed  cf.  Heb.  xiii.  8.  Thej' 
are  to  see  in  the  person  of  the  historic  Jesus,  the  eternal  Christ. 

22.  put  away.  The  '  putting  awa}' '  (the  metaphor  is  that  of 
'putting  oif'  clothes)  is  represented  as  a  single  act,  while  in  the 
following  verses  the  'being  renewed'  is  described  as  a  continuous 
process,  while  the  '  putting  on  '  is  a  single  act. 

23.  the  spirit  of  your  mind :  i.  e.  those  inner  and  highest 
principles  of  the  life  that  control  conduct. 

24.  Cf.  Col.  iii.  10. 

after  God :  i.  e.  according  to  the  mind  of  God.  Truth  is  here 
conceived  as  the  atmosphere  in  which  these  virtues  can  alone 
attain  their  highest  development. 

in  righteousness  and  holiness  of  truth.  There  is  a  twofold 
error  in  the  rendering  of  the  A.V.  The  words  'of  truth*  are 
connected  only  with  '  holiness,'  when  they  refer  to  righteousness 
as  well,  and  they  are  made  an  adjective. 

In  verses  25-32  special  sins  are  instanced  in  the  case  of  which 
the  principles  here  laid  down  are  to  be  applied. 

25.  falsehood:  the  word  is  more  general  than  'lying,'  and 
coveis  more  than  speech.  Cf.  Col.  iii.  9,  where  the  special 
charge  is  given. 

for  we  are  members  one  of  another.     The  argument  is 


112  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  4.  26-30 

26  of  another.     Be  ye  angry,  and  sin  not :  let  not  the  sun 

27  go  down  upon  your  wrath :    neither  give  place  to  the 
38  devil.     Let  him  that  stole  steal  no  more :    but  rather 

let  him  labour,  working  with  his  hands  the  thing  that 
is  good,  that  he  may  have  whereof  to  give  to  him  that 

29  hath  need.     Let  no  corrupt  speech  proceed  out  of  your 
mouth,  but  such  as  is  good  for  edifying  as  the  need  may 

30  be,   that  it  may  give  grace  to  them   that  hear.      And 

based  on  the  conception  of  perfect  loyalty  between  each  member 
of  the  Christian  church. 

26.  Be  ye  angry,  and  sin  not.  The  words  are  a  quotation 
from  Ps.  iv.  4  (R.  V.  margin),  and  are  taken  from  the  Greek  (LXX) 
version.  The  meaning  is  clearly  that  our  anger,  when  just,  is 
to  be  of  such  a  kind  as  not  to  lead  us  into  sin.  *  Let  the  day 
of  your  anger  be  the  day  of  your  reconciliation  '  is  the  spirit  of 
the  precept.  Plutarch  tells  us  that  the  Pythagoreans,  when  they 
had  given  way  to  anger,  and  had  used  violent  language  to  one 
another,  were  in  the  habit  of  shaking  hands  before  sunset,  and 
embracing  one  another  in  token  of  reconciliation.  Fuller  has 
a  quaint  remark  :  *  Let  us  not  understand  the  Apostle  so  literally 
that  we  may  take  leave  to  be  angry  till  sunset,  then  might  our 
wrath  lengthen  with  the  days  ;  and  men  in  Greenland,  where 
days  last  above  a  quarter  of  a  year,  have  plentiful  scope  of 
revenge.*     For  the  anger  of  Jesus  see  Mark  iii.   5. 

The  word  rendered  wrath  is  more  properly  *  irritation'  — 
a  temporary  feeling. 

2*7.  place :  i.  e.  '  room  to  act ' ;  cf.  our  nautical  phrase  '  sea-room.' 

This  is  the  only  place,  outside  the  Pastoral  Epistles,  where  Paul 
uses  the  word  *  devil.' 

29.  cormpt.  The  word  is  used  of  '  a  worthless  tree '  in  Matt. 
vii.  17,  xii.  33,  and  of  fish  in  Matt.  xiii.  48.  Abbott  thinks  it 
may  be  taken  as  equivalent  to  our  use  of  '  foul '  in  this  connexion, 
as  including  '  scurrilous '  language. 

for  edifying"  as  the  need  may  be.  The  A.V.  rendering 
*  to  the  use  of  edifying '  is  quite  a  mistaken  one.  '  For  the 
improvement  of  the  occasion '  is  the  sense  the  writer  wishes  to 
convey. 

A  few  MSS.  have  the  remarkable  reading  'faith'  instead  of 
*need,'  i.e.  'for  the  building  up  of  the  faith.'  This  has  no 
adequate  authority, 

that  it  may  gfive  grace.  The  meaning  of  the  word  *  grace ' 
here  may  be  simply  'benefit,'  as  in  2  Cor.  i.  15,  viii.  6,  but  the 
peculiar  N.  T.  flavour  of  the  word  goes  deeper. 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS   4.  31—5.  r  113 

grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  in  whom  ye  were 
sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption.     Let  all  bitterness,  3^ 
and  wrath,  and  anger,  and  clamour,  and  railing,  be  put 
away  from  you,  with  all  malice :  and  be  ye  kind  one  to  32 
another,  tenderhearted,  forgiving  each  other,  even  as  God 
also  in  Christ  forgave  you. 

Be  ye  therefore  imitators  of  God,  as  beloved  children ;  5 

30.  The  doctrine  of  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit  gives  special 
point  to  the  warning  against  sins  of  speech.  *  The  word  is  nigh 
thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart '  (Rom.  x.  8)  may  be  used 
to  illustrate  the  idea ;  cf.  also  Rom.  viii.  ii,  27,  and  Jas,  iii.  1-12. 

unto  the  day.  The  force  of  'unto  '  is  not  'until,'  but  'with 
a  view  to.' 

32.  kind.  The  word  so  rendered  occurs  only  here  in  all 
Paul's  Epistles.  It  is  used  of  God  in  Luke  vi.  35,  *  he  is  kind 
toward  the  unthankful  and  evil.' 

forgiving  eacli  other.  The  pronoun  in  the  original  is 
a  reflexive  one,  thus  bringing  out  the  oneness  of  the  body  corporate 
of  the  Christian  community  ;  cf.  Col.  iii.  13  and  i  Pet.  iv.  8-10. 
The  same  reason  for  cherishing  the  spirit  of  forgiveness  is 
adduced  by  Christ ;    cf.  Matt.  vi.  15,  xviii,  35. 

God  ...  in  Christ :  God  '  acting  in  Christ '  forgave ;  cf.  2  Cor. 
v.  19  and  Col.  iii.  13. 

forg-ave  you.  The  margin  reads  'us,'  and  there  is  a  similar 
difference  (with  a  transposition  of  the  pronouns)  in  v.  2.  The 
R.  V.  text  follows,  in  both  cases,  the  best  MS.  authority.  In 
Col.  iii.  13  the  text  has  'the  Lord  forgave/  with  'Christ'  as  the 
reading  of  the  margin. 

V.  1-14.     ^ Imitatio  Dei.' 

The  revealed  purpose  of  God  and  the  example  of  Jesus  Christ 
are  to  be  the  rules  of  Christian  conduct.  Not  only  gross  and 
open  sin,  but  all  questionable  and  foolish  conduct  is  to  be  carefully 
avoided,  and  the  note  of  grateful  praise  is  to  fill  the  whole  life. 
The  Christian  must  have  no  part  with  those  who  can  have  no 
interest  in  Christ.  The  division  line  should  be  clearly  marked 
between  the  fruitful  and  gracious  lives  that  are  led  by  the  Light 
of  the  world,  and  those  unfruitful  and  unlovely  souls  who  sit  in 
darkness.  But  a  further  duty  is  imperative,  even  reproof  of  the 
deeds  of  shame,  that  they  may  be  dragged  to  light,  seen  in  their 
native  hideousness,  and  so,  mayhap,  departed  from,  for  the 
trumpet-call  of  the  Spirit  is  '  Awake,  Arise ! ' 

1.  therefore.     The  conjunction  seems  to  link  this  verse  closely 

(8)  I 


114  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  5.  2-4 

3  and  walk  in  love,  even  as  Christ  also  loved  you,  and 
gave  himself  up  for  us,  an  offering  and  a  sacrifice  to 

3  God  for  an  odour  of  a  sweet  smell.      But  fornication, 
and  all  uncleanness,  or  covetousness,  let  it  not  even  be 

4  named  among  you,  as  becometh  saints ;   nor  filthiness, 
nor  foolish  talking,  or  jesting,  which  are  not  befitting ; 

to  the  one  that  immediately  precedes  it,  the  imitation  inculcated 
being  especially  that  of  the  grace  of  forgiveness,  so  that  some 
continue  the  former  paragraph  to  end  of  verse  2  of  this  chapter. 
This  does  not  seem  necessary,  as  there  is  undoubtedly  a  general 
reference  also  to  the  whole  content  of  .the  preceding  verses, 
and  a  very  close  connexion  with  all  that  follows,  since  the 
vices  characterized  arc  sins  against  love. 

as  beloved  children.  This  is  the  highest  incentive  to 
imitation. 

2.  as  Christ  also  loved  you:  see  note  on  verse  32  above,  and 
for  the  idea  of  the  words  cf.  John  xiii.  34;  Gal.  ii.  20,  and  verse 
25  of  this  chapter. 

for  an  odonr  of  a  sweet  smell.  The  image  is  derived  from 
the  original  idea  of  the  Divinity  rejoicing  in  the  fragrance  of  the 
sacrifice.  It  is  interesting  to  compare  the  other  passages  in  which 
Paul  uses  the  illustration  of  sacrifice,  some  of  the  most  interesting 
of  which  occur  within  the  limits  of  this  volume.  In  Rom.  xii,  i 
he  calls  upon  Christians  to  present  their  'bodies  a  living  sacrifice,' 
while  in  a  later  chapter  of  the  same  Epistle  (xv.  16)  he  speaks 
of  'the  offering  up  of  the  Gentiles,'  evidently  regarding  his 
converts  as  his  sacrifice  to  God.  With  this  idea  is  closely  con- 
nected the  conception  in  Phil.  ii.  17,  where  he  represents  the 
*  faith '  of  the  Philippians  as  the  sacrifice  he  presents.  Once 
more,  in  Phil.  iv.  18  their  gifts  sent  to  him  are  characterized 
as  '  an  odour  of  a  sweet  smell,  a  sacrifice  acceptable,  well-pleasing 
to  God.' 

3.  covetousness :  see  iv.  19  and  note.  This  verse  is  a  strong 
additional  testimony  to  the  special  significance  the  word  seems 
to  have  acquired. 

not  even  "he  named.  The  words  of  Herodotus  about  the 
Persians  (i.  138)  are  often  quoted  in  illustration  :  'They  are  not 
allowed  even  to  mention  the  things  which  it  is  not  lawful  for 
them  to  do'.(cf.  verse  12), 

4.  jesting*.  The  word  has  undoubtedly  here  a  flavour  of 
licentiousness.  Aristotle  uses  it  in  his  Ethics  (iv.  14)  as  an 
equivalent  for  '  quick-witted,'  from  its  original  meaning  of  'some- 
thing easily  turned,'  but  adds  that,  since  the  majority  of  people 
love  excessive  jesting,  the  word  is  apt  to  be  degraded.     Thus  we 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  5.  5-ri  115 

but  rather  giving  of  thanks.      For  this  ye  know  of  a  5 
surety,    that    no    fornicator,    nor    unclean    person,    nor 
covetous  man,  which  is  an  idolater,  hath  any  inheritance 
in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  God.    Let  no  man  deceive  6 
you  with   empty  words  :    for   because  of  these   things 
cometh  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  sons  of  disobedience. 
Be  not  ye  therefore  partakers  with  them ;   for  ye  were  7,  i 
once  darkness,  but  are  now  light  in  the  Lord :  walk  as 
children  of  light  (for  the  fruit  of  the  light  is  in  all  good-  9 
ness  and  righteousness  and  truth),  proving  what  is  well-  10 
pleasing  unto  the  Lord;   and  have  no  fellowship  with  11 
the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,  but  rather  even  reprove 

are  prepared  for  its  further  deterioration  in  Paul's  day.     Trench 
notes  a  similar  tendency  in  the  English  word  '  facetious.' 

5.  whicli  is  an  idolater :  cf.  iv.  19  and  Col.  iii.  5.  It  is  only 
the  attachment  to  the  word  of  the  wider  and  grosser  sense  noted 
above  that  makes  the  statement  intelligible. 

6.  empty  words :  i.  e.  *  deceptive  words ' — words  in  which 
there  is  no  inherent  truth.  The  dangerous  teaching  evidently 
emanated  from  men  associated  with  the  Christian  community. 
Such  immoral  teaching  has  always  been  and  still  is  a  serious 
menace  to  the  safety  of  the  church. 

8.  ye  were  once  darkness.  The  emphasis  is  on  the  time 
past.  Abbott  quotes  in  illustration  Virgil's  pathetic  line  :  'Troy 
was  once  a  city,  and  we  Trojans  once '  {Aen.  ii.  325).  Darkness 
was  their  nature,  and  now  the  transformation  is  to  be  complete ; 
cf.  Matt.  V.  14 ;  Phil.  ii.  15. 

9.  the  firait  of  the  lig'ht.  The  expression  is  noteworthy  and 
exceptional.  '  Fruit  of  the  spirit '  is  general  in  similar  contexts, 
and  is  read,  as  we  might  expect,  by  many  MSS.  here.  The  idea 
of  '  light,'  however,  dominates  the  passage. 

10.  proving-  .  .  .  Iiord:  cf.  Rom.  xii.  2  (R.  V.  margin),  'proving 
the  will  of  God,  even  the  thing  which  is  good  and  well-pleasing 
and  perfect.' 

11.  have  no  fellowship  with:  cf.  verse  7. 
unfruitful.     This  is  the  natural  characteristic  of  all  evil. 
reprove.     The  rendering  'convict'  or  'bring  to  light'  given 

in  the  margin  seems  the  better  one  in  view  of  what  follows. 
We  must  speak  of  things  in  order  to  reprove  them,  and  Paul 
does  not  shrink  from  doing  so.  But  if  we  take  the  sense  to  be 
'  convict,'  '  bring  to  the  light,*  we  can  understand  his  additional 

I  2 


ii6  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  5.  12-14 

12  them;  for  the  things  which  are  done  by  them  in  secret 

13  it  is  a  shame  even  to  speak  of.  But  all  things  when 
they  are   reproved    are   made   manifest    by   the   light : 

14  for  everything  that  is  made  manifest  is  light.  Where- 
fore /le  saith,  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from 
the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  shine  upon  thee. 


reason,  for,  since  they  are  shameful  even  to  speak  of,  it  is  worse 
to  let  them  lurk  there.  John  iii.  20,  where  the  same  word  is 
used,  is  a  most  instructive  parallel.  '  For  every  one  that  doeth 
(practiseth)  ill  hateth  the  light,  and  cometh  not  to  the  light, 
lest  his  works  should  be  reproved  (exposed),  but  h«  that  doeth 
the  truth  cometh  to  the  light,  that  his  works  may  be  made 
manifest,  that  they  have  been  wrought  in  God.'  Cf  also  i  Cor. 
xiv.  24  (margin  R.  V.).  The  purpose  of  the  exposure  is  therefore 
to  turn  darkness  to  light. 

13.  everything  that  is  made  manifest  is  ligrht.  This  is  an 
extremely  difficult  phrase  to  understand.  To  bring  a  dark  thing 
to  the  light  is  not  to  make  it  light.  If  we  can  grammatically 
translate  (with  the  A. V.)  the  words,  'whatever  makes  manifest 
is  light '  (as  some  scholars  assert  we  can),  then  all  difficulty 
vanishes,  but  this  usage  of  the  verb  is  not  clearly  proved.  As 
it  stands,  the  phrase  can  only  be  said  to  be  a  very  general  and 
inexact  statement,  the  draft  of  which  is  clear  from  the  context, 
but  which  will  not  bear  the  test  of  accurate  analysis. 

14.  Wherefore  he  saith :  cf.  iv.  8  and  note.  If  we  translate 
thus  we  introduce  a  great  difficulty,  since  no  ingenuity  can  prove 
that  the  words  thus  introduced  are  a  quotation  from  the  O.  T., 
or  even  from  apocryphal  writings.  At  most  they  can  only  be 
suggested  by  Isa.  Ix.  i,  '  Arise,  shine  ;  for  thy  light  is  come, 
and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  is  risen  upon  thee.'  If,  however, 
we  render  (as  was  suggested  in  the  case  of  iv.  8)  *  it  says,'  '  it 
is  said,*  or  *  one  says,'  the  quotation  may  easily  be  from  some  early 
Christian  hymn.  In  the  original  the  words  have  a  distinctly 
rhythmical  character.  If  this  be  so,  the  quotation  may  have 
suggested  the  reference  that  almost  immediately  follows  (verse 
19)  to  the  service  of  praise.  Many  consider  that  i  Tim.  iii.  16 
and  other  passages  in  the  N.  T.  have  a  similar  origin.  See  article 
*  Hymn '  in  Hastings'  Dictionary  of  the  Bible.  There  is  a  curious 
reading  found  in  one  or  two  MSS.  (the  famous  Codex  Bezae 
among  them),  'and  thou  shalt  touch  Christ.'  Jerome  explains 
the  reading  by  the  legend  that  Adam  was  buried  at  Calvary, 
and  that  the  cross  was  raised  above  his  grave.  Then  was  the 
prophecy  fulfilled,  '  Rise,  Adam,  who  sleepest,   and   rise  from 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  5.  15-19  117 

Look  therefore  carefully  how  ye  walk,  not  as  unwise,  15 
but  as  Avise;  redeeming  the  time,  because  the  days  are  16 
evil.  Wherefore  be  ye  not  foolish,  but  understand  what  17 
the  will  of  the  Lord  is.  And  be  not  drunken  with  wine,  18 
wherein  is  riot,  but  be  filled  with  the  Spirit ;  speaking  19 


the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  touch  thee.'  the  meaning  being  that 
the  contact  of  Christ's  bodj'  and  blood  will  effect  his  sharing 
in  the  gift  of  eternal  life.  Jerome  himself  says  this  interpretation 
was  given  for  the  sake  of  affording  a  pleasing  novelty  to  the 
people !  The  story  may  be  the  origin  of  the  reading,  and  not 
vice  versa. 

V.  15-21.      77!^  art  of  thankfulness. 

A  scrupulous  carefulness  should  mark  their  entire  conduct, 
for  the  opportunities  of  life  are  precious,  and  the  will  of  God 
should  be  their  guide.  The  excesses  of  former  days  must  be 
laid  aside,  and  the  more  lasting  and  true  joy  of  Christian  fellow- 
ship take  their  place.  The  service  of  song  that  forms  part  of 
the  united  worship  is  to  be  an  expression  of  the  heart's  devotion 
and  gratitude,  and  to  exert  the  reflex  influence  of  subduing  all 
selfishness. 

15.  Ziook  therefore  carefully.  The  word  'therefore'  seems 
to  refer  back  to  the  subject  of  verses  8-10. 

carefully  is  correctly  connected  with  *  look,'  not  with 
'walk'  (as  A.  v.). 

16.  redeeming"  the  time.  The  translation  in  the  margin, 
'buying  up  the  opportunity,'  gives  the  correct  idea,  'Making 
your  market  to  the  full  from  the  opportunity  of  this  life'  is 
Prof.  Ramsay's  paraphrase  {St.  Paul  the  Traveller,  p.  149),  cf.  Col. 
iv.  5.     The  best  bargains  come  to  the  early  and  alert  purchaser. 

evil  means  *  morally  evil,'  not  '  full  of  trouble '  or  '  daj'S  of 
peril.' 

17.  Wherefore:  viz.  because  it  is  necessary  to  walk  carefully'. 
foolish :  i.  e.  '  imprudent,'  continuing  the  idea  of  the  former 

figure — that  of  a  wise  business  man. 
the  will  of  the  Iiord:  cf.  verse  10. 

18.  And.  The  Greek  conjunction  is  used  in  such  a  way  here 
as  to  mark  the  transition  from  the  general  to  the  particular,  as  in 
Mark  xvi.  7,  'Tell  his  disciples  and  Peter.' 

riot  is  rendered  better  '  dissoluteness.'  Aristotle  (Etht'cs, 
iv.  i)  defines  such  men  as  '  failing  in  self-control,  and  spending 
money  on  the  unrestrained  gratification  of  their  passions.'  It 
is  the  exact  equivalent  of  our  v.ord  'lost,'  in   a   moral  sense. 


ii8  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  5.  20,21 

one  to  another  in  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs, 
singing  and  making  melody  with  your  heart  to  the  Lord ; 

20  giving  thanks  always  for  all  things  in  the  name  of  our 

21  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  God,  even  the  Father;  subjecting 
yourselves  one  to  another  in  the  fear  of  Christ. 

Drunkenness  is  loss.  '  The  word  is  one,'  says  Trench,  *  in  which 
heathen  ethics  said  much  more  than  they  intended  or  knew.' 

with  the  Spirit.  The  rendering  of  the  text  is  the  common 
one,  and  obviously  refers  to  the  H0I3'  Spirit,  but  the  reading 
of  the  margin,  'in  Spirit,'  demands  attention.  It  signifies,  'let 
your  desires  be  after  spiritual  and  not  carnal  repletion.'  The 
higher  nature,  not  the  lower,  is  to  be  satisfied.  The  latter 
rendering  much  more  satisfactorily  meets  the  demands  of  Greek 
grammar,  and  also  seems  to  yield,  at  least,  as  satisfactory  a  sense 
as  the  ordinary  interpretation. 

19.  one  to  another.  The  same  word  is  used  as  in  iv.  32, 
which  is  not  so  accurately  rendered  (by  A.  V.  and  R.  V.  margin) 
'to  yourselves.*  It  is  a  similar  form  that  Pliny  {Epp.  x.  97) 
employs  in  his  famous  description  of  the  Christian  worship,  '  they 
sing  in  turn  one  to  another  a  song  to  Christ  as  God.' 

psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  song's:  of.  Col.  iii.  16, 
where  the  conjunctions  are  omitted.  It  is  impossible  to  sub- 
stantiate hard  and  fast  distinctions  between  the  meanings  of  the 
three  words.  They  n^ay  be  said  to  cover  all  sacred  lyric  poetry. 
Cf.  Geo.  Herbert,  A  True  Hymn  : — 

*  The  fineness   which   a  h)'mn  or  psalm  affords. 
Is,  when  the  soul   unto  the  lines  accords.' 

Augustine's  definition  of  a  hj-mn  is  frequently  quoted :  '  It  is 
a  song  with  praise  of  God.  If  thou  praisest  God  and  singest 
not,  thou  utterest  no  hymn.  If  thou  singest  and  praisest  not 
God,  thou  utterest  no  hymn.  A  hymn,  then,  containeth  these 
three  things — song,  and  praise,  and  that  of  God'  (Contm.  on 
Ps.,  148). 

20.  in  the  name  of:  i.  e.  referring  all  its  value  to  its  relation 
to  him. 

21.  subjecting*.  This  word  looks  forward  to,  and,  indeed, 
governs  the  next  section.  There  is  no  Greek  equivalent  for 
the  words  'be  in  subjection'  in  verse  22.  The  connexion  with 
the  thought  of  the  passage  immediateh'  preceding  is  not  to  be 
sought  in  the  word,  but  in  the  geneial  advice  as  to  mutual 
assistance,   special  instances  of  which  are  to  follow. 

In  the  Dissertations  of  Epictetus  (iv.  7)  we  have  words  that 
strongly  resemble  these.  •  Giving  thanks  to   God  for  all  things, 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS   5.  22-25  119 

Wives,  be  in  siibjectio7i  unto  your  own  husbands,  as  22 
unto  the  Lord.  For  the  husband  is  the  head  of  the  23 
wife,  as  Christ  also  is  the  head  of  the  church,  beiiig 
himself  the  saviour  of  the  body.  But  as  the  church  is  24 
subject  to  Christ,  so  let  the  wives  also  be  to  their 
husbands  in  everything.  Husbands,  love  your  wives,  25 
even  as  Christ  also  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself 

in  nothing  finding  fault  with  the  things  that  are  not  in  one's 
own  power,'  Yet  what  a  difference  in  motive  and  appeal  is 
made  by  the  introduction  of  the  one  name,  Jesus ! 

V.  22-33.     Husbands,  wives,  and  the  church. 

The  Apostle  turns  now  to  special  applications  of  the  principles 
he  has  been  laying  down,  and  first  addresses  the  wives  of  the 
Christian  community,  bidding  them  see  in  their  husbands  the 
representatives  of  Christ,  and  regard  themselves  as  standing 
in  the  same  relation  of  dutiful  subjection  to  their  husbands  as  the 
church  does  to  her  Lord.  Husbands,  on  the  other  hand,  are  to 
take  Christ's  gracious,  gentle,  and  protective  attitude  towards  his 
church  as  the  model  of  their  conduct  towards  their  wives.  As 
the  church,  for  which  Christ  has  suffered  so  much,  is  one  with 
Christ  in  a  mystic  union,  so  are  husbands  and  wives  one  flesh, 
and  the  one  is  the  parable  of  the  other,  and  both  are  profound 
and  living  realities  of  the  Divine  revelation.  For  the  whole  section 
cf.  Col.  iii.  18 — iv.  i,  and  i  Pet,  ii.  i8— iii.  7. 

22.  Wives,  be  in  subjection.  For  the  omission  of  the  vierb 
see  note  on  verse  21. 

your  own.  These  words  seem  to  be  added  to  emphasize  the 
peculiarly  special  nature  of  the  relationship,  and  the  personal 
possession  it  implies. 

23.  For  tlie  husband  is  the  head  of  the  wife.  There  is  not 
adequate  authority  for  the  insertion  of  the  definite  article  before 
'husband,*  nor  is  there  one  before  'head,'  so  the  words  are 
better  rendered  in  the  general  form,  'For  a  husband  is  head  of 
his  wife.' 

himself  the  saviour  of  the  body.  This  shorter  reading 
follows  the  better  authorities  (cf,  A.  V.).  There  is  a  similarity 
between  the  two  relationships,  but  also  a  great  difference.  Christ 
is  Saviour  as  well  as  Head, 

24.  But.  The  conjunction  has,  in  all  probability,  the  force  of 
'notwithstanding  this  diff'erence  in  everything.'  These  words 
of  course  imply  the  limitation  that  the  things  are  within  the 
province  of  Christian  obedience. 

25.  Chrysostom's    comment    on    these  verses   is  well   worth 


I20  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  5.  26-2S 

26  up  for  it;  that  he  might  sanctify  it,  having  cleansed  it 

27  by  the  washing  of  water  with  the  word,  that  he  might 
present  the  church  to  himself  a  glorious  churchy  not 
having  spot  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing;    but  that  it 

28  should  be  holy  and  without  blemish.  Even  so  ought 
husbands   also  to   love  their  own  wives  as   their  own 


attention  : — '  Hast  thou  seen  the  meaning  of  obedience  ?  hear  also 
the  measure  of  love.  Wouldst  thou  that  thy  wife  should  obey 
thee  as  the  church  doth  Christ?  have  care  thyself  for  her,  as 
Christ  for  the  church  ;  and  if  it  should  be  needful  that  thou 
shouldst  give  thy  life  for  her,  or  be  cut  to  pieces  a  thousand 
times,  or  endure  anything  whatever,  refuse  it  not ;  yea,  if  thou 
hast  suffered  this,  thou  hast  not  done  what  Christ  did,  for  thou 
doest  this  for  one  to  whom  thou  wert  already  united,  but  he 
for  her  who  rejected  him  and  hated  him.  .  .  .  He  brought  her 
to  his  feet  by  his  great  care,  not  by  threats  nor  fear  nor  any  such 
thing ;  so  do  thou  conduct  thyself  toward  thy  wife.' 

26.  might  sanctify  .  .  .  having  cleansed.  The  cleansing  is 
the  process  preparatory  to  the  sanctifying  that  follows ;  of.  i  Cor. 
vi.  II. 

by  the  washing:  lit.  'by  the  bath,'  a  reference  to  baptism, 
with  a  probable  allusion  to  the  ceremonial  bath  of  the  bride  before 
marriage. 

with  the  word.  Moule  paraphrases  well,  *  attended  by, 
or  conditioned  by,  an  utterance.'  'Word'  is  to  be  taken  in  the 
most  general  sense  as  equivalent  to  '  teaching,'  and  must  not 
be  limited  to  the  baptismal  formula,  or  to  any  other  definite  body 
of  doctrine.  The  general  idea  is  made  clear  by  our  Lord's  saying 
recorded  in  John  xv.  3,  'Already  3'e  are  clean  because  of  the 
word  which  I  have  spoken  unto  you.' 

27.  Cf.  2  Cor.  xi.  2. 

The  it  of  the  A.  V.  arises  from  a  mistaken  reading  found  in  some 
MSS.  The  meaning  is  more  clearly  brought  out  by  rendering, 
'that  he  might  present  the  church  to  himself,  glorious.' 

28.  as  their  own  bodies.  Husbands  are  to  regard  their 
wives  as  being  their  own  bodies,  as  Christ  looks  upon  the  church 
as  his  body.  The  idea  is  not  that  men  are  to  love  their  wives 
as  they  love  their  own  bodies,  which  is  either  feeble,  derogatory 
to  the  wife's  position,  or  both.  The  words  of  Plutarch  have  been 
quoted  in  this  connexion  :  '  The  husband  ought  to  rule  his  wife, 
not  as  a  master  does  a  chattel,  but  as  the  soul  governs  the  body, 
by  sympathy  and  good-will.  As  he  ought  to  govern  the  body 
by  not  being  a  slave  to  its  pleasures  and  desires,  so  he  ought 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  5.  29-31  121 

bodies.      He  that  loveth  his  own  wife  loveth  himself: 
for  no  man  ever  hated  his  own  flesh ;   but  nourisheth  29 
and    cherisheth    it,    even   as   Christ    also   the   church; 
because  we  are  members  of  his  body.     For  this  cause  30,  31 
shall   a  man   leave   his   father  and   mother,   and   shall 
cleave  to  his  wife;    and  the  twain  shall  become  one 


to    rule  his   wife  by  cheerfulness   and   complaisance'    {Conjugal 
Precepts^  p,   78,  Bohn's  Librarj'). 

He  that  loveth  his  own  wife  loveth  himself.  This  has  been 
said  to  be  nothing  more  than  a  special  application  of  the  natural 
instinct  of  self-love.  But  such  a  statement  cannot  be  maintained, 
nor,  were  it  a  fact,  would  Paul  require  to  enforce  this  precept 
as  a  duty. 

29.  his  own  flesh:  cf.  *one  flesh,'  verse  31. 

30.  of  his  body.  The  addition  in  the  A.  V.  of  the  words  '  of 
his  flesh  and  of  his  bones'  has  not  the  best  of  MS.  authority, 
though  it  has  the  majoritj'  on  its  side,  and  on  internal  grounds 
is  improbable,  as  not  adding  anything  to  the  conception,  but 
rather  introducing  a  difficulty  without  affording  any  compensating 
advantage.  There  is  no  proof  that  the  words  were  a  common 
formula.  Had  the  words  been  '  of  his  flesh  and  of  his  blood,*  we 
might  have  supposed  a  reference  to  the  Lord's  Supper,  but  the 
form  of  expression  as  it  stands  makes  this  impossible.  The 
reason  of  their  addition  seems  to  have  been  a  reminiscence  of 
Gen.  ii.  23  and  24,  the  last  words  of  which  are  quoted  in  the  next 
verse,  '  And  the  man  said,  This  is  now  bone  of  my  bones,  and 
flesh  of  my  flesh.'  Their  insertion,  and  the  attempt  to  expound 
them,  have  driven  some  to  the  conclusion  that  the  writer  had 
no  definite  idea  himself  what  he  did  mean ! 

31.  Per  this  cause:  viz.  because  a  man  is  to  love  his  wife  as 
Christ  loves  the  church.  One  recent  commentator  (von  Soden), 
however,  understands  it  differently,  and  renders,  '  instead  of  this,' 
i.  e.  *  instead  of  hating  his  own  flesh  (verse  29)  ...  he  shall  cleave 
to  his  wife.' 

shall  a  man  leave  .  .  .  flesh.  The  quotation  is  from 
Gen.  ii.  24,  which  is  also  quoted  in  Matt.  xix.  5  and  Mark 
x.  7,  8. 

It  seems  a  strange  perversity  of  the  commentators,  so  many  of 
whom  insist  on  interpreting  this  verse  of  Christ  and  the  church. 
The  image  would  be  most  strained,  and  in  the  most  extravagant 
mood  of  mysticism.  Neither  is  such  language  in  the  manner 
of  Paul.  The  natural  sense  is  both  clear  and  appropriate.  For 
a  modern  setting  of  the  idea  compare  Tennyson's  lines  :— 


122  TO  THE  EPHESIANS   5.  32— G.  i 

p,2  flesh.      This  mystery  is  great :    but   I   speak  in  regard 
33  of  Christ  and  of  the  church.     Nevertheless  do  ye  also 

severally  love  each  one  his  own  wife  even  as  himself; 

and  let  the  wife  see  that  she  fear  her  husband. 
6      Children,  obey  your  parents  in  the  Lord :   for  this  is 

*0  happy  he,  and  fit  to  live. 
On  whom  a  happy  home  has  power; 
To  make  him  trust  his  Hfe,  and  give 
His  fealty  to  the  halcyon  hour.' 

32.  mystery.  On  this  word  see  note  on  i.  9.  With  Paul  it 
is  '  a  mystery  revealed.'  The  A.  V.  rendering,  *  this  is  a  great  mys- 
tery,' is  incorrect,  but  the  R.  V.  rendering,  though  correct  gram- 
matically, does  not  convey  the  true  idea.  The  meaning  to  be 
attached  to  the  word  is  that  of  'important.*  The  words  convey 
an  idea  of  this  sort :  '  This  spiritual  teaching  is  vital.'  The  refer- 
ence seems  clearly  to  be  to  the  whole  comparison  instituted  be- 
tween husband  and  wife,  and  Christ  and  the  church. 

Z  speak  has  the  force,  common  in  Paul's  writings,  of  *  I 
mean.' 

The  Latin  version  (the  Vulgate)  renders  the  word  translated 
'mystery'  by  sacramenttrnt,  which,  doubtless,  originated  the 
designation  of  marriage  as  a  sacrament  in  the  church  of  Rome. 

33.  Nevertheless:  i.  e.  to  return  to  the  practical  point  at  issue, 
also,  dropped    by   the  A.  V.,  is   an    important   word,  as    it 

implies   a   reference   to   the  example  of  Christ,  on  which    Paul 
has  been  insisting. 

fear.  The  rendering  *  reverence '  (A.  V.)  gives  the  proper 
colour  to  the  word.  The  fear  is  not  to  be  that  of  a  slave,  but 
such  as  befits  a  woman.     The  ideal  is  the  poet's  : 

*  Self-reverent  each  and  reverencing  each. 
Distinct  in  individualities. 
But  like  each  other  ev'n  as  those  who  love. 
Then  comes  the  statelier  Eden  back  to  men : 
Then  reign  the  world's  great  bridals,  chaste  and  calm  : 
Then  springs  the  crowning  race  of  humankind.' 

Tennyson,  The  Princess. 

vi.  1-4.     The  duty  of  parents  and  children. 

The  primary  duty  of  children  is  obedience,  and  this  also  is 
the  path  of  promise.  To  make  it  easy,  fathers  are  to  forbear  from 
provocation,  and  let  their  training  be  a  model  of  the  Divine 
methods. 

1.  in  the  ^ord.  These  words  suggest  the  spirit  in  which  the 
obedience  is  to  be  rendered ;  cf.  Col.  iii.  20. 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  G.  2-5  123 

right.     Honour  thy  father  and  mother  (which  is  the  first  2 
commandment  with  promise),  that  it  may  be  well  with  3 
thee,  and  thou  mayest  live  long  on  the  earth.     And,  ye  4 
fathers,  provoke  not  your  children  to  wrath  :  but  nurture 
them  in  the  chastening  and  admonition  of  the  Lord. 
Servants,  be  obedient  unto  them  that  according  to  5 

for  this  is  rig*}!!.  The  right  is  twofold  :  (i)  from  the  natural 
relationship,  (2)  from  the  requirements  of  the  Divine  law. 

2.  the  first  coininandinent.  There  is  some  difficulty  in  seeing 
the  appropriateness  of  the  word  '  first.'  There  is  an  implied 
promise  attached  to  the  second  commandment,  viz.  'shewing 
mercy  unto  thousands  of  them  that  love  me  and  keep  my  command- 
ments.' It  is  not  satisfactory  to  explain  this  as  being  the  first 
commandment  of  the  second  table.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  according 
to  the  Jewish  arrangement,  it  was  not  so.  Some  explain  it  as 
being  the  first  to  be  learned  by  children.  The  most  satisfactory 
explanation  is  to  say  that  the  words  attached  to  the  second 
commandment  were  regarded  as  descriptive  of  God's  nature,  and 
not  as  a  definite  promise. 

But  this  explanation  raises  the  further  difficulty  that  it  would 
then  have  been  true  to  say,  *  it  is  the  only  commandment  with 
promise ' — a  stronger  incentive  still.  Why  first  ?  are  we  driven 
to  the  explanation  of  its  being  the  first  to  be  learned  ?  In  this 
case  one  might  place  a  comma  after  *  commandment,'  render  *  with 
a  promise,'  and  paraphrase  as  follows — '  Honour  thy  father  and 
mother,  which  is  the  first  commandment  thou  hast  learned, 
and  that  too  has  a  promise  attached  to  it.'  The  original  is  to  be 
found  in  Exod.  xx.  12. 

4.  provoke  not :  cf.  Col.  iii.  21,  where  a  different  word  is  used, 
signifying  *do  not  irritate.' 

vi.  5-9.     The  duty  of  masters  attd  slaves. 

The  slaves,  who  formed  so  large  a  section  of  the  early  Christian 
church,  are  now  bidden  render  the  most  implicit  obedience  to 
their  overlord,  reckoning  all  such  service  as  done  to  Christ.  The 
worthy  slave  is  a  man  whose  bondage  is  of  the  heart,  whose  will 
is  enslaved  to  Christ,  even  if  he  chance  to  be  a  freeman.  He 
is  serving  a  Master,  who  will  not  fail  to  give  a  generous 
recompense.  Masters  are  reminded  of  their  relation  of  subjection, 
in  turn,  to  a  heavenly  Master,  who  knows  no  respect  of  persons, 
and  are  therefore  counselled  to  avoid  a  haughty  and  tyrannous 
bearing  toward  their  underlings. 

For  this  whole  section  cf.  the  Epistle  to  Philemon,  which  is 
a  practical  example  of  putting  in  practice  the  spirit  it  inculcates. 


124  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  G.  6-10 

the  flesh  are  your  masters,  with  fear  and  trembling,  in 

6  singleness  of  your  heart,  as  unto  Christ ;  not  in  the  way 
of  eyeservice,  as  men-pleasers ;  but  as  servants  of  Christ, 

7  doing  the  will  of  God  from  the  heart ;  with  good  will 
doing  service,  as  unto  the  Lord,  and  not  unto  men  : 

8  knowing  that  whatsoever  good  thing  each  one  doeth, 
the  same  shall  he  receive  again  from  the  Lord,  whether 

9  he  be  bond  or  free.  And,  ye  masters,  do  the  same  things 
unto  them,  and  forbear  threatening :  knowing  that  both 
their  Master  and  yours  is  in  heaven,  and  there  is  no 
respect  of  persons  with  him. 

10      Finally,  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  strength 

It  is  noteworthy  that  in  each  of  the  three  classes  here  dealt  with, 
Paul  rises  from  the  lower  to  the  higher  in  the  twofold  relationship 
in  each  case — wives  and  husbands,  children  and  fathers,  servants 
and  masters.  The  same  order  is  found  in  the  parallel  passage 
in  Col.  iii.  i8 — iv.  i. 

5.  with  fear  and  tremblingf.  This  does  not  imply  harsh 
treatment,  but  solicitude  in  service  ;  cf.  i  Cor.  ii.  3  ;  2  Cor.  vii.  15  ; 
Phil.  ii.  12. 

6.  eyeservice.  The  word  is  only  found  again  in  Col.  iii.  22. 
It  may  have  been  coined  by  Paul,  though,  of  course,  it  may 
have  been  frequent  in  the  common  speech, 

doing*  the  will  of  God.  This  is  a  distinct  characteristic,  and 
is  not  to  be  taken  as  if  it  were  •  servants  who  are  doing  the  will 
of  God,' 

from  the  heart.  This  may  belong  either  to  this  verse  or  the 
next.  The  majority  of  the  best  authorities  deem  the  latter 
connexion  the  better  one,  'serving  heartily  and  willingly' 
denoting  the  spirit  in  which  the  servant  regards  (i)  his  task, 
and  (2)  his  master, 

vi.  10-17.      The  Christian  artnour. 

As  a  closing  exhortation,  the  Apostle  bids  his  readers  prepare  for 
the  strife  that  continually  awaits  them,  and  to  endue  themselves 
with  the  spiritual  armour  God  has  prepared  for  them.  With  truth 
as  a  girdle,  righteousness  as  a  breastplate,  readiness  as  sandals, 
faith  as  a  shield,  salvation  as  a  helmet,  their  defensive  armour 
will  be  ample ;  while  with  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  and  the 
weapon  of  *  all-prayer '  they  will  have  enough  wherewith  to  fight. 

JO.  Finally:    or,  as  the  margin  has  it,  'From  henceforth,'  for 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  6.   11,12  125 

of  his  might.     Put  on  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that  n 
ye  may  be  able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil. 
For  our  wrestling  is  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but  12 

both  readings  exist  in  the  MSS.  That  of  the  text  is  the  better 
attested  and  more  probable;  cf.  Phil.  iii.  i,  iv,  8;  2  Thess.  iii.  i. 
The  A.  v.,  following  the  traditional  text,  adds  *  my  brethren.' 
The  addition  has  probably  arisen  from  assimilation  to  parallel 
passages,  c.  g.   Phil.  iii.   i  and  iv.  8. 

be  strong'.  The  rendering  of  the  margin,  '  be  made  powerful,' 
accurately  represents  the  force  of  the  original. 

the  strength  of  his  might:  cf.  i.  19.  Not  to  be  taken  as  = 
'his  strong  might.' 

11.  the  whole  armour.  The  original  word  is  'panoply'  (cf. 
Luke  xi.  22,  where  it  is  also  used).  Wesley's  well-known  hymn, 
founded  on  this  passage,  has  the  original  word  : — 

*  Stand  then  in  his  great  might. 

With  all  his  strength  endued, 
But  take,  to  arm  you  for  the  fight. 
The  panoply  of  God.' 

The  point  insisted  on  is  the  completeness  of  the  armour  {pan  — 
'all').  Polybius  enumerates  the  portions  of  the  Roman  soldier's 
panoply  as  shield,  sword,  greaves,  spear,  breastplate,  helmet. 
Paul  omits  the  spear,  but  names  girdle  and  shoes,  which,  though 
not  strictly  armour,  were  essentials  in  the  equipment. 

to  stand  against  =  '  to  hold  your  ground.' 

wiles.  The  word  in  the  original  is  that  from  which  our 
*  method '  is  derived,  and  it  signifies  *  the  planned  and  deliberate 
attacks.' 

12.  our.  A  few  MSS.  have  'your' — a  change  that  would 
readily  occur  to  a  copyist,  from  the  context,  but  to  have  written 
'our'  is  much  more  like  Paul,  who  loved  to  identify  himself 
with  those  to  whom  he  was  writing,  especially  in  circumstances 
of  difficulty. 

wrestling.  It  has  been  noted  that  this  word,  save  in  a 
general  sense,  is  not  the  most  suitable  to  the  military  metaphor 
employed.  But  for  the  moment  the  writer  has  turned  to  consider 
what  the  struggle  is  not,  and  in  the  immediate  connexion  of  'flesh 
and  blood'  it  is  most  appropriate.  Again  the  idea  is  carefully 
preserved  in  Wesley's  fine  paraphrase  : — 

*  From  strength  to  strength  go  on. 
Wrestle,  and  fight,  and  pray. 
Tread  all  the  powers  of  darkness  down, 
And  win  the  well-fought  day.' 


126  TO  THE  EPHESIANS   6.  13,14 

against  the  principalities,  against  the  powers,  against  the 
world-rulers  of  this  darkness,  against  the  spiritual  hosts 

13  of  wickedness  in  the  heavenly  places.  Wherefore  take 
up  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  able  to 
withstand  in  the  evil  day,  and,  having  done  all,  to  stand. 

14  Stand   therefore,  having  girded   your  loins  with  truth. 


flesh  and  blood.  In  the  original  the  peculiar  order  of  the 
words  ^  blood  and  flesh '  is  found  only  in  this  passage. 

world-rulers  has  the  widest  possible  reference,  and  seems 
to  denote  the  spirits  of  evil. 

of  this  darkness.  The  A.  V.  follows  the  common  text  in 
adding  '  of  this  world,'  which  is  probably  an  early  gloss  that  had 
crept  into  the  text. 

the  spiritual  hosts.  In  the  original  the  word  is  the  neuter 
plural  of  the  adj.  *  spiritual,'  and  it  seems  very  uncertain  whether 
it  may  be  rendered  ^  hosts.'  A  more  general  term,  such  as  '  forces ' 
or  '  elements,'   is  more  accurate. 

in  the  heavenly  places.  Here  we  have  the  same  grammatical 
form.  The  phrase  is  probably  to  be  explained  by  current  specula- 
tions about  the  heavenly  regions,  in  some  sections  of  which  the 
presence  of  evil  spirits  was  recognized.  The  emphasis  seems  to 
be  placed  on  the  might  of  the  forces  arrayed  against  us. 

It  has  been  pointed  out  that  the  Book  of  the  Secrets  of  Enoch, 
which  was  written  perhaps  as  early  as  30 B.C.,  has  several  close 
resemblances  with  Paul's  theories  about  the  heavenly  regions, 
e.g.  paradise  is  in  the  third  heaven,  as  in  2  Cor.  xii.  2,  3,  and 
the  presence  of  evil,  as  in  this  passage,  in  some  parts  of  the 
heavens  is  recognized ;   cf  iii.  10,  iv.   10. 

13.  For  the  whole  of  this  passage  the  reader  should  compare 
Bunyan's  magnificent  description,  founded  upon  it,  of  Christian's 
armour  and  his  fight  with  Appolyon.  In  particular,  note  how 
he  introduces  the  weapon  of  '  all-pra3'er '  (see  verse  18).  The 
sketches  for  the  present  finished  picture  are  to  be  found  in 
Rom.  xiii.  12 ;  2  Cor.  vi.  7  ;  and  i  Thess.  v.  8. 

in  the  evil  day :  i.  e.  the  day  when  you  are  hard  pressed — 
not  with  any  reference  to  a  particular  day. 

having  done  all,  to  stand  =  *  that,  having  done  your  duty 
to  the  best  of  your  ability,  you  may  be  able  to  hold  your 
ground.' 

14.  Stand  therefore.  In  this  case  the  word  is  simply  descrip- 
tive of  the  attitude  of  the  warrior  about  to  be  armed. 

with  truth.  This  is  to  be  taken  as  referring  to  truth  '  in 
its  widest  sense  as  an  element  of  character  '  (Abbott)  ;  cf.  v.  9. 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  6.  15-18  127 

and  having  put  on  the  breastplate  of  righteousness,  and  15 
having  shod  your  feet  with  the  preparation  of  the  gospel 
of  peace;  withal  taking  up  the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  16 
ye  shall  be  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the  evil 
07te.     And  take  the  helmet  of  salvation,  and  the  sword  17 
of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God :  with  all  prayer  18 

the  breastplate  of  righteousness :  cf.  v.  9.  In  the  imagery 
of  the  breastplate  and  helmet  Paul  follows  Isa.  lix.  17,  'and  he 
put  on  righteousness  as  a  breastplate,  and  an  helmet  of  salvation 
upon  his  head.'  Another  interesting  parallel  is  to  be  found  in  the 
Book  of  Wisdom  v.  17-20  : 

'  He  shall  take  his  jealousy  as  a  panoply, 
He  shall  put  on  righteousness  as  a  breastplate, 
He  shall  take  holiness  as  an  invincible  shield, 
And  he  shall  sharpen  stern  wrath  for  a  sword.' 

15.  preparation  signifies  'readiness' ;  see  a  magnificent  sermon 
by  Paget  in  the  volume  entitled  Faculties  and  Difficulties  for  Belief 
and  Disbelief  p.  149,  where  the  full  force  of  this  grace  is  brought  out. 

16.  withal.  Another  reading  is  that  rendered  by  the  A.  V. 
'above  all.'  This,  however,  is  a  mistranslation  of  the  words 
read,  which  should  be  rendered,  'in  addition  to  all.'  The  reading 
of  the  R.  V.  text  is,  however,  the  best  authenticated.  A  similar 
difference  is  found  in  Luke  xvi.  26. 

the  shield  of  faith.  The  word  signifies  a  large  oblong 
shield,  measuring  about  4  ft.  x  si.  In  i  Thess.  v.  8  '  faith  and  love ' 
are  the  breastplate  '  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts.'  Thucydides, 
in  the  famous  description  of  the  siege  of  Plataea,  tells  us  how  the 
defenders  protected  the  face  of  their  wooden  palisades  with  raw 
hides  and  dressed  skins,  against  the  fire  arrows  tipped  with 
lighted  tow.     The  skin-shields  served  a  similar  purpose. 

vi.  18-20.     Exhortation  to  prayer  and  intercession. 

The  Apostle,  dropping  metaphor,  passes  into  an  exhortation  to 
prayer,  watchfulness,  and  intercession,  in  particular  for  himself 
and  his  mission,  that  the  courage  to  which  he  has  been  inciting 
them  may  not  be  lacking  in  his  own  case. 

18.  all  prayer :  i.  e.  prayer  of  every  form.  Abbott  would 
connect  these  words  immediately  with  the  main  imperative, 
*  stand  therefore,'  and  this  gives  them  a  clearer  import  than 
the  connexion  generally  understood  with  *  take.'  This  attitude 
of  prayer  is  to  be  a  constant  one,  and,  as  Bunyan's  spiritual 
insight  saw,  an  essential  element  in  the  warfare,  invincible 
when  all  else  failed. 


128  TO  THE  EPHESIANS  6.  19-21 

and  supplication  praying  at  all  seasons  in  the  Spirit,  and 
watching  thereunto  in  all  perseverance  and  supplication 

19  for  all  the  saints,  and  on  my  behalf,  that  utterance  may 
be  given  unto  me  in  opening  my  mouth,  to  make  known 

20  with  boldness  the  mystery  of  the  gospel,  for  which  I  am 
an  ambassador  in  chains ;  that  in  it  I  may  speak  boldly, 
as  I  ought  to  speak. 

21  But  that  ye  also  may  know  my  affairs,  how  I  do, 
Tychicus,  the  beloved  brother  and  faithful  minister  in 

in  the  Spirit:  cf.  Jude  20  ;  Rom.  viii.  26. 
watchingf  thereunto :  cf.  Col.  iv.  2. 

19.  in  opening"  my  mouth.  This  expression  is  employed 
only  in  circumstances  of  great  seriousness  and  importance,  and  is 
here  to  be  understood  rather  of  God's  part  in  giving  the  Apostle 
a  message  than  merely  as  a  synonym  for  speech  ;  cf.  Col.  iv.  3, 
where  the  reference  is  explicit. 

with  boldness.  The  A.  V.  and  R.  V.  margin  connect  these 
vi'ords  with  the  preceding,  ^vhich  is  not  so  satisfactory  a  rendering, 
as  it  is  tantamount  to  the  statement  of  verse  20. 

20.  that  in  it  Z  may  speak  boldly.  Von  Soden  makes  these 
words  not  dependent  on  'praying,'  as  the  great  majority  of  inter- 
preters do.  but  on  the  words,  'for  which  I  am  an  ambassador,' 
understanding  that  Paul  might  have  been  set  at  liberty  had  he 
chosen  to  cease  from  preaching,  but  that  he  elected  to  remain 
a  captive  in  hope  that  the  result  of  his  trial  would  be  to  grant  him 
liberty  to  preach.     This  interpretation  seems  rather  imaginary. 

vi.  21,  22.     Cotnmendation  of  Tychicus. 

In  the  meantime  the  Apostle  sends  Tychicus  as  the  bearer  of 
his  letter,  and  also  to  convey  verbal  messages  as  to  the  Apostle's 
affairs,  and  personally  to  encourage  the  churches. 

21.  also  =  'as  well  as  others.'  Not  to  be  confined  to,  or  indeed 
specially  referred  to,  the  Colossians. 

Tychicus.  In  Acts  xx.  4  we  read  of  him  as  accompanying 
Paul  from  Macedonia  to  Asia,  and  he  may,  as  Lightfoot  thinks, 
have  gone  with  him  to  Jerusalem.  This  passage  shews  he  had 
found  his  way  to  Rome,  and,  in  company  with  Onesimus,  is  sent, 
as  the  bearer  of  a  circular  letter  and  other  communications,  to  the 
churches  of  the  Lycus  Valley.  Again,  towards  the  close  of  the 
Apostle's  life,  he  is  named  as  a  probable  messenger  to  Crete,  and 
as  having  been  actually  sent  to  Ephesus  (cf.  Titus  iii.  12;  2  Tim,  iv. 
12).  In  Col.  iv.  7  he  is  described,  in  addition  to  the  title  here 
given;  as  a  '  fellow-servant '  of  the  Apostle.     The  name  is  proved, 


TO  THE  EPHESIANS  6.  22-24  129 

the  Lord,  shall  make  known  to  you  all  things:   whom  22 
I  have  sent  unto  you  for  this  very  purpose,   that   ye 
may  know  our  state,   and  that  he  may  comfort   your 
hearts. 

Peace  be  to  the  brethren,  and  love  with  faith,  from  23 
God   the  Father  and   the  Lord   Jesus  Christ.      Grace  24 
be  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord   Jesus  Christ  in 
uncorruptness. 

by  the  evidence  of  inscriptions,  not  to  have  been  an  uncommon 
one. 

vi.  23,  24.     Parting  benediction. 

This  differs  in  form  from  Paul's  other  benedictions  in  three 
particulars  : — 

(i)  It  is  written  in  the  third  person,  and  thus  made  more 
general,  as  would  suit  a  circular  letter. 

(2)  It  consists  of  two  distinct  parts. 

(3)  The  usual  order  of  *  grace'  and  'peace'  is  reversed. 
These  considerations  tend  to  confirm  the  genuineness  of  the 

Epistle,  as  no  imitator  would  have  dreamed  of  diverging  from  the 
Apostle's  general  custom. 

24.  uncorruptness.  This  is  a  very  fine  and  appropriate  word 
with  which  to  close  a  letter,  which  began  (i.  4)  with  a  description 
of  the  calling  of  Christians  as  being  one  of  *  holiness  and  without 
blemish  in  love.'  Alford  says  :  '  It  is  a  spiritual,  eternal  love,  and 
thus  only  is  the  word  worthy  to  stand  as  the  crown  and  climax 
of  this  glorious  Epistle.' 


(8) 


THE  EPISTLE  OF  PAUL  THE  APOSTLE 


TO   THE 


COLOSSIANS 


1  Paul,  an  apostle  of  Christ  Jesus  through  the  will  of 

2  God,  and  Timothy  our  brother,  to  the  saints  and  faithful 
brethren  in  Christ  ivhich  are  at  Colossae  :  Grace  to  you 
and  peace  from  God  our  Father. 

3  We  give  thanks  to  God  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 

4  Christ,  praying  always  for  you,  having  heard  of  your 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  of  the   love  which   ye   have 

5  toward  all  the  saints,  because  of  the  hope  which  is  laid 

i.  I,  2.     Opening  salutation  frovn  Paul  and  Timothy. 

1.  Timothy's  name  is  associated  with  Paul's  in  2  Corinthians, 
Philippians,  i  and  2  Thessalonians,  and  Philemon,  but  in  Philippians 
and  Philemon  Paul  proceeds  in  the  singular,  not  as  here  and  in 
the  other  cases  in  the  plural. 

2.  The  form  of  address  to  thie  saints  and  . . .  brethren  is  similar 
to  that  used  in  Romans  and  Ephesians.  In  other  Epistles  the  word 
*  church,*  or  (as  in  Philippians)  a  form  that  implies  it,  is  employed. 
It  maybe  that  this  more  personal  form  is  used  expressly  to  denote 
his  kindly  feeling  of  Christian  love  towards  churches  in  which 
he  is  not  personally  known. 

Only  here  does  the  name  of  the  Father  stand  alone  in  the 
opening  benediction  of  Paul's  Epistles. 

i.  3-8.      Thanksgiving  for  faithful  following  of  the  gospel. 

Thanksgiving  is  united  with  prayer.  The  thankfulness  springs 
from  the  report  given  by  Epaphras  of  their  faith  and  love,  the 
proof  of  their  hope  in  the  gospel,  which  is  shewing  itself  to 
be  a  mighty  power  everywhere. 

3.  praying  always.  It  seems  better  to  connect  *  always '  with 
'give  thanks,'  as  in  Eph.  i.  16  the  Apostle  tells  us  is  his  practice. 


TO  THE  COLOSSIANS   1.  6-8  131 

up  for  you  in  the  heavens,  whereof  ye  heard  before  in 
the  word  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  which  is  come  unto  6 
you ;    even   as  it  is  also  in  all  the  world  bearing  fruit 
and  increasing,  as  it  doth  in  you  also,  since  the  day  ye 
heard  and  knew  the  grace  of  God  in  truth ;  even  as  ye  7 
learned  of  Epaphras  our  beloved  fellow-servant,  who  is 
a  faithful  minister  of  Christ  on   our   behalf,    who   also  8 
declared  unto  us  your  love  in  the  Spirit. 


5.  A  question  arises  as  to  whether  because  of  the  hope  is 
dependent  on  the  words  which  immediately  precede  it,  or  is  to  be 
taken  with  '  We  give  thanks.'  The  arguments  in  defence  of  either 
view  need  not  be  given  here,  as  some  of  them  involve  technical 
questions  of  Greek  grammar,  but  suffice  it  to  say  that  the  latter 
view  accords  best  with  the  general  sense  of  the  passage  and  with 
Paul's  usage,  while  there  is  no  valid  reason  on  linguistic  grounds 
against  it.  The  thanks  of  the  Apostle  have  a  justifiable  basis  in  the 
grandeur  of  the  future  that  opens  out  before  these  ColossianSj  and 
in  their  firm  grasp  of  all  that  hope  involves, 

laid  up  for  you :  cf.  i  Pet.  i.  4,  *  an  inheritance  .  . .  reserved  in 
heaven  for  you.'  The  only  other  Pauline  phrase  that  approaches 
it  is  I  Tim.  vi.  19, 

ye  heard  before,  &c.  These  words  have,  apparently,  a 
reference  to  the  accurate  teaching  they  had  received  before  the 
false  teachers  came  among  them  ;  cf.  verse  23  and  ii.  5,  6. 

6.  in  all  the  world.  Hereby  '  the  catholicity  of  the  true 
gospel'  is  contrasted  with  'the  merely  local  character  of  false 
gospels.* 

bearing  fruit  and  increasingf.  These  words  denote  inward 
and  outward  growth  respectively. 

in  truth :  i.  e.  '  in  its  genuine  simplicity,'  not  as  adulterated  by 
false  teachers. 

7.  Epaphras:  see  note  on  iv.  12. 

fellow-servant.     The  same  title  is  given  to  Tychicus  in  iv.  7. 

on  our  behalf.  This  means  that  Epaphras  had  acted  as  Paul's 
representative  in  introducing  the  gospel  to  Colossse,  and  so  clothes 
him  with  all  the  authority  of  the  Apostle.  But  many  authorities 
read  'your,'  and  the  evidence  both  of  MSS.  and  editors  is  about 
equally  balanced.  If  we  judge  by  what  was  probably  the  Apostle's 
meaning,  the  reading  of  the  text  seems  preferable  to  that  of  the 
margin,  as  it  is  in  better  agreement  with  the  line  of  his  argument, 
and  the  change  from  'our'  to  'your'  on  the  part  of  a  copyist  is 
more  easily  understood  than  the  reverse. 

K  2 


132  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS   1.  9-12 

9  For  this  cause  we  also,  since  the  day  we  heard  //,  do 
not  cease  to  pray  and  make  request  for  you,  that  ye  may 
be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  his  will  in  all  spiritual 

10  wisdom  and  understanding,  to  walk  worthily  of  the  Lord 
unto  all  pleasing,  bearing  fruit  in  every  good  work,  and 

11  increasing  in  the  knowledge  of  God;   strengthened  with 
all  power,  according  to  the  might  of  his  glory,  unto  all 

12  patience  and  longsuffering  with  joy;  giving  thanks  unto 

i.  9-23.     The  Glory  of  Christ. 

i.  9-11  (a).     A  prayer  for  increasing  knowledge  and  power. 

9.  Tor  this  cause  refers  to  the  whole  substance  of  the  pre- 
ceding paragraph ;   cf.  Eph.  i.  15. 

since  the  day.  The  Apostle's  prayer  is  *  an  echo  of  their 
faith'  recorded  in  verse  6. 

do  not  cease  to  pray.  Ellicott  calls  this  'an  affectionate 
hyperbole ' ;   cf.  Eph.  i.  16. 

10.  unto  all  pleasing* :  i.e.  'pleasing  God  in  every  way.' 

in  the  knowledgfe.  The  majority  of  the  best  interpreters 
follow  the  marginal  reading  *  by,'  the  knowledge  of  God  being  the 
source  of  the  fruitfulness  and  growth.  To  read  *  in '  rather  repeats 
the  statement  of  verse  9. 

11.  The  difference  of  translation  between  'with'  and  'in  all 
power '  may  seem  very  slight,  but  the  second  seems  preferable 
as  bringing  the  phrase  into  line  with  the  former  '  in  all  wisdom ' 
and  '  in  every  good  work,'  and  also  because  '  in  the  matter  of  all 
strength '  gives  a  more  definite  meaning  than  '  with  every  form  of 
strength.' 

patience :  '  endurance '  is  a  much  better  rendering  of  the 
original.  Thus  the  *  endurance  *  of  Job  much  better  describes 
the  character  of  the  hero  of  that  poem  than  does  the  word 
'patience'  as  we  understand  it,  to  which  the  word  rendered 
'longsuffering'  much  more  nearly  corresponds. 

with  joy :  see  note  under  verse  12. 

i,  12-17  (6).     Thanksgiving  to  God  for  His  salvation  in  Christ. 

An  outpouring  of  praise  to  God  because  He  has  delivered  us  and 
made  us  inheritors  of  His  Son's  kingdom — that  Son  who  is  His 
own  perfect  revelation  to  the  world,  and  in  whom  the  whole 
universe  finds  its  unity. 

12.  with  joy  is  in  the  R.V.  text  and  by  the  majority  of  editors 
joined  with  the  preceding  verse,  on  the  ground  that  *  giving  thanks ' 
implies  joy,  and  that  'joyful  endurance'  is  the  point  of  the 
preceding  phrase,  in  proof  of  which  verse  24  of  this   chapter, 


TO  THE  COLOSSIANS   1.  13-15  ^33 

the  Father,  who  made  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  hght;  who  deHvered  us  out  13 
of  the  power  of  darkness,  and   translated   us   into   the 
kingdom  of  the  Son  of  his  love;  in  whom  we  have  our  14 
redemption,  the  forgiveness  of  our   sins :    who   is   the  15 
image  of  the  invisible  God,  the  firstborn  of  all  creation ; 


Jas.  i.  2,  3,  and  i  Pet.  iv.  13  are  quoted.  Such  a  verse  as  iii.  17 
of  the  present  Epistle  shews  that  thanksgiving  need  not  always  be 
emphatically  joyful,  but  here  that  seems  to  be  the  note  the  writer 
is  anxious  to  strike,  hence  the  emphatic  position  of  the  words,  as 
defining  the  kind  of  thanksgiving — it  is  radiant, 

made  us  meet  =  'qualified  us,'  as  in  2  Cor.  iii.  6,  the  only 
other  place  where  the  word  occurs. 

Some  few  MSS.  read  '  called,'  which  in  Greek  closely  resembles 
the  other  word,  and  as  being  much  more  familiar  would  be  easily 
put  in  its  plaje. 

'You'  instead  of 'us'  is  read  by  many,  but  'us'  seems  more 
natural  in  view  of  the  whole  trend  of  the  following  passage  ;  *  you,' 
however,  suits  better  the  preceding  passage,  if  the  transition  be 
not  made  till  the  next  verse,  but  if  we  are  right  in  beginning 
this  section  of  the  paragraph  with  this  verse,  '  us '  seems  what  we 
should  expect.  It  must  be  admitted,  on  the  other  hand,  that  '  us  * 
would  be  more  likely  to  be  written  by  a  careless  copyist  than  '  you.' 
Cf.  the  similar  uncertainty  in  Eph.  iv.  32  and  v.  2. 

the  inheritance.  The  metaphor  is  no  doubt  taken  from  the 
promised  land  as  the  allotted  inheritance  of  the  children  of  Israel. 
The  phrase  is  parallel  in  thought  to  that  in  verse  5,  'the  hope 
which  is  laid  up  for  you  in  the  heavens,'  and  for  idea  and  language 
Lightfoot  bids  us  compare  Acts  xxvi.  i8. 

13.  translated.  Almost  all  commentators  note  that  the  word 
is  used  of  the  deportation  of  whole  peoples  from  one  district  to 
another. 

Son  of  his  love :  best  understood  as  = '  His  beloved  Son ' ;  cf. 
Eph.  i.  6,  'the  Beloved.' 

14.  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins.  This  is  the  only  place  in 
Paul's  letters  where  this  exact  phrase  occurs,  though  one  finds  it 
in  his  speeches  in  Acts  xiii.  38,  xxvi.  18.  We  have  an  equivalent 
phrase  in  Eph.  i.  7.  It  has  been  thought  that  here  the  exact 
definition  of  '  redemption '  is  given  to  correct  the  erroneous  views 
of  false  teachers,  since  it  is  known  that  the  later  heretics  laid  stress 
on  their  theories  of  redemption. 

15.  image.  The  word  denotes  'resemblance  in  some  essential 
character.'  In  the  Book  of  Wisd.  of  Sol.  vii,  26,  Wisdom  (personified) 


134  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS   1.  i6,  17 

16  for  in  him  were  all  things  created,  in  the  heavens  and 
upon  the  earth,  things  visible  and  things  invisible, 
whether  thrones  or  dominions  or  principalities  or 
powers ;  all  things  have  been  created  through  him,  and 

17  unto  him;   and  he  is  before  all  things,  and  in  him  all 

is  described  as  'an  image  of  God's  goodness,'  and  Paul  uses  it  of 
Christ,  *  who  is  the  image  of  God,'  in  2  Cor.  iv.  4. 

the  firstborn  seems  to  have  been  a  recognized  title  of  the 
Messiah  ;  cf.  Heb.  i.  6,  '  when  he  again  bringeth  in  the  firstborn 
into  the  world.'  The  source  of  the  name  is,  by  some,  found  in 
Ps.  Ixxxix.  27,  '  I  also  will  make  him  my  firstborn.'  '  The  only 
ideas  involved  are,'  says  Abbott,  'priority  in  time  and  distinction 
from '  the  rest  of  creation.  For  the  theological  significance  of  the 
words  here  used  the  exhaustive  note  in  Lightfoot  should  be 
consulted.  The  unique  supremacy  of  Christ  herein  stated  was 
another  point  denied  by  the  false  teachers. 

creation  has  three  meanings  in  the  N.  T.  : — 
(i)  The  act  of  creation  as  in  Rom.  i.  20,  'the  creation  of  the 
world.' 

(2)  '  Creation '  as  an  equivalent  for  the  created  universe ;  cf. 
Rom.  viii.  22,  *  the  whole  creation  groaneth.' 

(3)  *  A  creation,'  i.e.  a  single  creature;  cf.  Rom.  viii.  39  'any 
other  creature.'  The  R.  V.  here  takes  the  second  meaning  and  the 
A.  V.  the  third,  and  interpreters  are  very  much  divided  as  to  which 
is  correct.  The  usage  of  the  Greek  rather  points  to  the  A.  V.  as 
being  right  here. 

16.  Christ  holds  the  same  place  in  the  universe  that  he  holds 
in  the  church  ;  see  verse  19  below. 

visible  and  .  .  .  invisible.  This  is  a  common  division  with 
Plato,  as  e.  g.  in  the  Phaedo  (79  a). 

thrones,  &c.  Cf.  Eph.  i.  21,  where,  however,  both  order  and 
names  are  different," shewing  that  Paul  is  simply  adopting  current 
theories,  as  if  he  is  indifferent  as  to  what  things  are  named,  know- 
ing that  all  possible  existences  are  included.  Lightfoot  gives  the 
Jewish  and  Christian  speculations  on  the  angelic  hierarchies  in 
his  Commentary,  p.  151 ;  see  also  Hastings'  Dictionmy  of  the  Bible, 
art.  '  Angels,'  and  those  on  the  words  in  this  verse. 

throug'h  him,  and  unto  him.  Christ  is  both  the  medium  and 
the  end,  as  Revelation  speaks  of  him  as  (xxii,  13)  'the  Alpha  and 
the  Omega  .  .  .  the  beginning  and  the  end.'  Cf.  Stephen  Phillips' 
fine  lines : — 

'Thou  at  whose  whisper  Death  idled  and  grieved. 
And  knew  the  voice  at  which  creation  shone 
Suddenly.' 


TO  THE  COLOSSIANS   1.  18-21  135 

things  consist.     And  he  is  the  head  of  the  body,    the  iS 
church :    who  is  the   beginning,  the  firstborn  from  the 
dead ;  that  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  preeminence. 
For  it  was  the  good  pleasure  of  the  Father  that  in  him  19 
should   all   the   fulness   dwell;    and    through    him    to  20 
reconcile  all  things  unto   himself,   having   made   peace 
through   the  blood  of  his  cross ;    through  him,  /  sa)\ 
whether  things  upon  the  earth,  or  things  in  the  heavens. 
And  you,  being  in  time  past  alienated  and  enemies  in  21 

i.  18-20  (c).     Christ's  pre-eminence  itt  the  church. 

Christ  is  head  of  the  church,  since  through  his  resurrection  he 
is  the  firstborn  also  of  the  new  creation,  so  that  all  who  are 
reconciled,  even  if  heavenly  beings,  are  reconciled  through  him. 

19.  Though  most  interpreters  follow  the  reading  of  the  text  in 
this  verse,  I  think  Abbott  makes  it  clear  that  the  usage  of  the 
language  points  to  the  rendering  of  the  margin  (*  For  the  whole 
fulness  of  God  was  pleased  to  dwell  in  him ')  as  the  correct  one. 
Doctrinally  the  passage  is  very  important,  and  should  be  taken, 
along  with  Phil.  ii.  5-8,  as  supplementary  to  the  truths  therein 
stated. 

20.  nnto  himself,  or  '  him,'  as  in  the  margin.  The  entire  usage 
of  language  points  to  '  him,'  i.  e.  '  Christ,'  as  being  the  meaning. 
Many  interpreters,  however,  say  that  nowhere  do  we  read  of 
reconciliation  to  Christ,  but  always  to  God,  therefore  it  must  be 
'  to  himself  here.  But  what  if  this  passage  be  the  one  exception  ? 
There  are  peculiarities  in  the  original  here  that  have  no  exact 
parallels.  It  is  not  safe,  at  all  events,  to  decide  such  a  question 
by  theological  presuppositions,  and  the  interpretation  must  be  left 
open.  It  is  such  passages,  no  doubt,  that  suggested  Tennyson's 
famous  lines : — 

'The  wish,  that  of  the  living  whole 
No  life  may  fail  beyond  the  grave. 
Derives  it  not  from  what  we  have 
The  likest  God  within  the  soul?' 

In  Memoriam  Iv. 

through  him  is  repeated  for  emphasis,  as  shewing  there  is 
no  other  form  of  mediation.  The  whole  language  is  framed  to 
make  clear  the  uniqueness  and  universality  of  Christ's  redemption. 

i.  21-23  (^'     T^^^  Colossians''  share  in  the  results  of  this  great  work. 
The  Colossians  too,  who  had  once  been  in  dark  enmity,  have 


136  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS   1.  22-24 

your  mind  in  your  evil  works,  yet  now  hath  he  reconciled 

22  in  the  body  of  his  flesh  through  death,  to  present  you 
holy   and   without   blemish   and   unreproveable    before 

23  him :  if  so  be  that  ye  continue  in  the  faith,  grounded 
and  stedfast,  and  not  moved  away  from  the  hope  of  the 
gospel  which  ye  heard,  which  was  preached  in  all 
creation  under  heaven ;  whereof  I  Paul  was  made  a 
minister. 

24  Now  I  rejoice  in  my  sufferings  for  your  sake,  and  fill 
up  on  my  part  that  which  is  lacking  of  the  afflictions  of 

been  reconciled  through  his  death,  and  may  attain  the  full  fruit  of 
this  through  a  life  of  holy  and  steadfast  faith. 

21.  liatli  lie  reconciled.  The  rendering  given  in  the  margin 
(*ye  have  been  reconciled')  is  read  by  only  one  great  MS. — the 
Codex  Bezae  at  Cambridge,  which  is  famous  for  extraordinary 
readings.  Here,  however,  great  authorities  follow  it,  mainly 
because  it  seems  difficult  to  understand  how  such  a  reading  could 
have  been  accidentally  introduced.  Whichever  reading  is  adopted, 
the  construction  of  the  sentence  seems  to  have  been  begun  in 
one  way  and  finished  in  another — a  custom  that  was  not  at  all 
unusual  with  the  Apostle. 

22.  in  the  "body  of  Ms  flesh.  These  words  are  probably 
designed  clearly  to  express  and  emphasize  the  reality  of  Christ's 
earthly  life. 

to  present,  &c.  :  cf.  Eph.  v.  27  and  Jude  24. 

i.  24-29.  Paul's  suffenngs  and  mission  as  a  minister  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

*Ay,  for  this  Paul,  a  scorn  and  a  reviling. 

Weak  as  you  know  him  and  the  wretch  you  see — 
Even  in  these  eyes  shall  ye  behold  his  smiling. 
Strength  in  infirmities  and  Christ  in  me.' 

Myers'  Si.  Paul. 
24.  As  a  prisoner,   no  less  than  as  an  active  missionary,  he 
experiences  the  joy  of  Christ's  service. 

for  your  sake :  as  they  are  part  of  the  Gentile  church  he 
includes  them,   though   not  personally  known  to  him. 

that  which  is  lacking*  is,  in  the  original,  *  the  points  which 
are  lacking,'  so  that  the  afflictions  of  Christ  are  not  regarded  as 
one  definite  unity,  of  which  a  part  is  lacking,  but  as  a  series  to 
which  there  may  easily  be  supplementary  ones. 

the  afflictions  of  Christ  is  a  phrase  that  has  been  interpreted 
in  many  ways  : — 


TO  THE  COLOSSIANS  1.  25-28  137 

Christ  in  my  flesh  for  his   body's   sake,    which   is   the 
church;   whereof  I  was  made  a  minister,  according  to  25 
the  dispensation  of  God  which  was  given  me  to  you-ward, 
to  fulfil  the  word  of  God,  even  the  mystery  which  hath  26 
been  hid  from  all  ages  and  generations :   but  now  hath 
it   been   manifested   to   his   saints,    to   whom  God  was  27 
pleased  to  make  known  what  is  the  riches  of  the  glory  of 
this  mystery  among  the  Gentiles,  which  is  Christ  in  you, 
the  hope  of  glory :    whom   we   proclaim,   admonishing  28 
every  man  and  teaching  every  man  in  all  wisdom,  that 

(i)  As  'the  afflictions  which  Christ  endured,'  either  in  the 
Roman  Catholic  sense  of  the  meritorious  suffering  of  the  saints, 
or,  with  a  large  number  of  Protestant  commentators,  of  the  self- 
denial  of  Christ's  faithful  followers.  This  latter  explanation  does 
not  give  any  adequate  explanation  of  how  these  are  '  the  afflictions 
which  Christ  endured,' 

(2)  Those  who  understand  the  reference  to  be  to  *the  afflictions 
of  Christ '  in  and  through  his  church,  which  is  his  body. 

(3)  Those  who  understand  the  phrase  of  the  Apostle's  own  afflic- 
tions, and  compare  for  illustration  his  expressions,  '  the  sufferings 
of  Christ  abound  unto  us '  (2  Cor.  i.  5)  ;  *  always  bearing  about  in 
the  body  the  dying  of  Jesus'  (iv.  10),  and  'the  fellowship  of  his 
sufferings,  becoming  conformed  unto  his  death'  (Phil,  iii,  10). 

The  last  interpretation  seems  the  simplest,  and  may  be  illuminated 
by  such  a  saying  as  that  of  our  Lord,  when  taken  in  its  connexion, 
'■  My  cup  indeed  ye  shall  drink '  (Matt.  xx.  23),  of.  also  Myers* 
St  Paul  :^ 

*  Thou  in  their  woe  thine  agony  completest, 
Christ,  and  their  solitude  is  nigh  to  thee.' 

25.  dispensation:  'stewardship'  (marg.)  is  the  better  ren- 
dering ;  it  is  the  office  of  the  steward  that  is  here  meant ;  cf. 
I  Cor.  ix.  17,  '  I  have  a  stewardship  intrusted  to  me.' 

to  fulfil  the  word  of  God  :  i.  e.  to  carry  out  the  full  programme 
of  the  heralding  of  the  gospel — to  make  it  open  to  the  Gentiles. 

27.  in  you  :  either  '  within '  or  '  among '  ;  cf.  Luke  xvii,  21,  '  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  within  you,'  marg.  *in  the  midst  of  you.' 

28.  every  man.  Note  the  threefold  repetition  of  the  w^ords, 
shewing  the  gospel  message  not  to  be  in  any  sense  an  exclusive 
one. 

in  all  wisdom  =  'wisely.' 


138        TO  THE  COLOSSI ANS  1.  29—2.  3 

29  we  may  present  every  man  perfect  in  Christ ;  whereunto 
I  labour  also,  striving  according  to  his  working,  which 
worketh  in  me  mightily. 

2  For  I  would  have  you  know  how  greatly  I  strive  for 
you,  and  for  them  at  Laodicea,  and  for  as  many  as  have 

2  not  seen  my  face  in  the  flesh ;  that  their  hearts  may  be 
comforted,  they  being  knit  together  in  love,  and  unto  all 
riches  of  the  full  assurance  of  understanding,  that  they 

3  may  know  the  mystery  of  God,  even  Christ,  in  whom  are 

perfect  has  reference  to  the  'maturity  of  faith';  cf.  iv.  12; 
Eph.  iv.  13,  and  Phil.  iii.  15. 
29.  Cf.  Myers'  St.  Paul:— 

Then  with  a  rush  the  intolerable  craving- 
Shivers  throughout  me  like  a  trumpet-call. 
Oh  to  save  these  !    to  perish  for  their  saving-. 
Die  for  their  life,  be  offered  for  them  all ! ' 

ii.  1-5.  The  Apostle's  constant  solicitude  for  the  churches  he  has 
not  seen. 

He  does  not  wish  the  churches  which  he  has  not  himself  visited 
to  feel  he  cares  less  for  them  than  for  others,  but  their  growth  in 
grace  and  Christian  bearing  rejoice  his  heart  continually  and  nerve 
him  to  more  earnest  prayer  on  their  behalf. 

1.  as  many  as  probably  refers  to  the  church  at  Hierapolis, 
which,  indeed,  a  few  MSS.  name  here,  clearly  introducing  the 
words  from  iv.  13,  they  being  probably  added  in  the  first  instance 
as  an  explanatory  marginal  note. 

2.  comforted  =  ' strengthened,' as  it  was  used  in  old  English, 
e.  g.  in  Wycliffe's  version  we  read  :  'And  the  child  waxed,  and 
was  comforted  in  spirit'  (Luke  i.  80),  and  in  Shakespeare, 
As  You  Like  It,  ii.  6.  5,  *  Live  a  little ;  comfort  a  little ;  cheer 
thyself  a  little.' 

knit  together  in  love  :  cf.  iii.  14. 

of  God,  even  Christ.  The  reading  of  the  words  so  rendered 
varies  in  the  original  MSS.  very  considerably.  Some  read  only 
*  of  God,'  others  (the  best)  *  of  God  the  Father,'  and  some  have 
combinations  and  variations  of  these.  Those  that  read  as  in  the 
text,  from  which  the  R.  V.  is  taken,  can  be  understood  in  three 
wa3's.  There  is  no  word  for  '  even,'  as  the  italics  indicate,  so  we 
might  render  (i)  'of  the  God  Christ,'  (2)  '  of  the  God  of  Christ,*  or 
(3\  as  here, '  the  mystery  of  God,'  i.  e.  '  Christ.'  Had  we  sufficient 
authority  for  the  shortest  reading,  *  of  God,  '  it  would  be  the  most 


TO  THE  COLOSSIANS   2.  4-6  139 

all   the   treasures   of  wisdom   and    knowledge    hidden. 
This  I  say,  that  no  one  may  delude  you  with  persuasive-  4 
ness  of  speech.     For  though  I  am  absent  in  the  flesh,  5 
yet  am  I  with  you  in  the  spirit,  joying  and  beholding 
your  order,  and  the  stedfastness  of  your  faith  in  Christ. 
As  therefore  ye  received  Christ  Jesus   the   Lord,    so  6 

simple.  As  it  stands,  the  rendering  of  the  text  seems  the  best 
possible,  though  the  expression  is  awkward,  and  there  is  probably 
some  early  corruption  we  cannot,  with  our  present  knowledge, 
correct. 

3.  in  whom  may  very  probably  be  rendered   'in  which,' viz. 
*  the  mystery.' 

wisdom  and  knowledgfe :  cf.  Rom.  xi.  33.  While  not  treating 
them  as  strictly  exegetical,  we  may  with  interest  compare  the  lines 
of  our  own  poets — Cowper's  Task,  vi.  88-99  : — 

'  Knowledge  and  wisdom,  far  from  being  one, 


Have  oft-times  no  connexion. 

Knowledge  is  proud  that  he  has  learned  so  much 

Wisdom  is  humble  that  he  knows  no  more ' ; 

and  Tennyson  in  Locksley  Hall : — 

'  Knowledge  comes,  but  wisdom  lingers ' ; 
and  again  In  Memoriam,  cxiv  : — 

'  Who  loves  not  Knowledge  ? .  .  . 

.  .  .Let  her  know  her  place  j 

She  is  the  second,  not  the  first, .  .  . 

For  she  is  earthly  of  the  mind. 

But  Wisdom  heavenly  of  the  soul.' 
We  must  beware,  however,  of  reading  these  modern  distinctions 
into  the  thought  of  Paul. 

4.  delude :  from  the  original  comes  the  Greek  word  for  a  '  fallacy.* 

5.  order,  and  .  .  .  stedfastness.  The  majority  of  interpreters 
regard  these  words  as  military  metaphors,  but  it  has  been  pointed 
out  (by  Abbott)  that  neither  word  bears  such  a  complexion  in  itself, 
and  that  its  ordinary  meaning  suffices  here,  since  there  is  nothing 
in  the  context  to  suggest  a  military  idea.  The  idea  would  then  be 
that  of  a  well-ordered  state  or  household,  and  the  stability  of 
a  well-built  structure,  which  is  as  fine  and  appropriate  a  concep- 
tion, Paul,  as  is  his  manner,  praises  the  church  in  every  respect  in 
which  he  possibly  can  do  so  truthfully. 

ii.  6-15.     An  exhortation  to  steadfast  loyalty  to  Christ. 

The  only  source  of  their  salvation.    They  are  to  grow  in  likeness 


I40  TO  THE  COLOSSI ANS  2.  7-11 

7  walk  in  him,  rooted  and  builded  up  in  him,  and  stab- 
hshed  in  your  faith,  even  as  ye  were  taught,  abounding 
in  thanksgiving. 

8  Take  heed  lest  there  shall  be  any  one  that  maketh 
spoil  of  you  through  his  philosophy  and  vain  deceit,  after 
the  tradition  of  men,  after  the  rudiments  of  the  world, 

9  and  not  after  Christ :  for  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness 

10  of  the  Godhead  bodily,  and  in  him  ye  are  made  full,  who 

11  is  the  head  of  all  principality  and  power:  in  whom  ye 
were  also  circumcised  with  a  circumcision  not  made  with 
hands,  in  the  putting  off  of  the  body  of  the  flesh,  in  the 

to  Christ,  living  in  a  spirit  of  joyful  gratitude,  and  not  turning 
aside  after  false  teachers,  who  would  once  again  enchain  Christ's 
freemen  in  the  bondage  of  ceremonies,  from  which  he  had  once 
for  all  delivered  them.  All  bondage  and  death  Christ  has  banished, 
and  over  every  spiritual  enemy  he  has  openly  triumphed  like 
a  glorious  conqueror. 

8.  philosopliy.  This  is  the  only  occurrence  of  the  word  in  the 
N.  T.  and  is  doubtless  used  as  re-echoing  the  claim  made  by  the 
false  teachers.  It  has  here  a  scornful  ring,  because  they  are 
abusing  a  thing  in  itself  good.  By  throwing  a  scornful  emphasis 
on  the  '  his '  we  may  catch  the  meaning. 

tradition  :  this  points  to  the  system  of  these  teachers  being 
a  secret  one  confined  to  their  sect.  '  Tradition  '  was  a  technical 
term  of  the  later  Jewish  mystical  theologj\ 

rudiments  of  the  world  :  rudiments  is  '  elements,'  lit.  '  letters 
of  the  alphabet '  ;  cf.  Gal.  iv,  3,  and  note  there.  It  is  usually  ex- 
plained as  having  reference  to  rudimentary  instructions  about 
externals.  Several  recent  writers  have,  however,  given  quite 
a  different  meaning  to  the  words.  The  '  rudiments  of  the  world  * 
are,  it  is  said,  in  the  system  of  the  Jewish  mysticism,  the  personal 
spirits  that  ruled  the  elements.  In  support  of  this  view  the  passage 
in  Gal.  iv.  i-ii  is  cited.  The  verses  that  follow,  since  they 
contrast  Christ  with  all  such  lower  though  spiritual  existences, 
seem  to  confirm  the  interpretation.  The  view  is  at  least  an 
interesting  one,  and  has  a  distinct  bearing  on  the  special  dangers 
to  which  the  Colossian  Christians  were  exposed. 

9.  bodily :  i.  e.  '  in  a  bodily  fashion  ' ;  cf.  i.  19,  and  Phil.  iii.  21. 

10.  the  head.  Since  all  powers  are  subordinate  to  Christ,  no 
other  mediation,  were  it  possible,  is  necessary. 

11.  not  made  with  hands  :  see  Eph.  ii.  11,  and  note  ;  Phil.  iii.  3. 


TO  THE  COLOSSIANS   2.  12-15  141 

circumcision  of  Christ;  having  been  buried  with  him  in  12 
baptism,  wherein  ye  were  also  raised  with  him  through 
faith  in  the  working  of  God,  who  raised  him  from  the 
dead.     And  you,  being  dead   through   your   trespasses  13 
and  the  uncircumcision  of  your  flesh,  you,  /  say,  did  he 
quicken  together  with  him,  having  forgiven  us  all   our 
trespasses ;    having   blotted    out    the   bond   written   in  14 
ordinances  that  was  against  us,  which  was  contrary  to  us: 
and  he  hath  taken  it  out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to  the 
cross;  having  put  off  from  himself  the  principalities  and  15 

the  circumcision  of  Christ :  not  the  actual  historical  incident, 
but  this  spiritual  circumcision  of  which  he  is  speaking  that  comes 
from  union  with  him. 

12.  havingf  been  buried  :  see  Rom.  vi.  3,  4,  and  note  there  the 
metaphor  is  quite  clear. 

13.  Their  uncircumcision  was  a  symbol  of  their  spiritual  dead- 
ness. 

14.  bond:  i.e.  'an  unpaid  note  of  hand,*  consisting  in  ordinances 
standing  against  us.  The  incriminating  writing  was  first  of  all 
blotted  out,  and  then  the  actual  document  destroyed. 

15.  having*  put  off  from  himself,  &c.  This  is  a  very  difficult 
phrase  to  interpret.  To  begin  with,  the  word  here  used  for  '  to  put 
ofif'  does  not  occur  in  any  earlier  w^riter,  but  is  used  again  in  iii.  9, 
while  the  noun  formed  from  it  occurs  in  verse  11  of  this  chapter. 
An  analogous  form  is  of  frequent  occurrence,  meaning  to  *  strip' 
or  '  despoil.' 

Three  main  interpretations  are  given  : — 

(i)  That  of  the  text,  understanding  it  as  meaning  either  that 
Christ  put  off  from  himself  finally  all  the  powers  of  evil,  which  (in 
Lightfoot's  phrase)  *  had  clung  like  a  Nessus  robe  about  his  human- 
ity,' or  that  God  (who  is  understood  to  be  the  subject  of  the  verb) 
had  now  laid  aside  all  other  forms  of  revelation,  imperfect  and 
unsatisfactory,  such  as  the  proclamation  of  the  law  by  angels 
(referred  to  in  Heb.  ii.  2  ;  Gal.  iii.  19  ;  Acts  vii.  53)  and  now 
manifested  himself  in  Christ. 

(2)  That  of  the  R.  V.  margin,  '  having  put  off  from  himself  his 
body  he  made  a  shew  of  the  principalities  and  powers.'  There  is 
no  Greek  equivalent  for  the  words  '  his  body,'  though  some  Latin 
versions  seem  to  have  substituted  the  words  '  his  flesh  '  for  '  the 
principalities.'  There  being  no  word  in  the  original  and  no 
suggestion  in  the  context  for  introducing  the  words  supplied  seem 
fatal  to  this  translation. 


142  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS  2.  16-18 

the  powers,  he  made  a  show  of  them  openly,  triumphing 
over  them  in  it. 

16  Let  no  man  therefore  judge  you  in  meat,  or  in  drink, 
or  in  respect  of  a  feast  day  or  a  new  moon  or  a  sabbath 

17  day  :  which  are  a  shadow  of  the  things  to  come ;  but  the 

18  body  is  Christ's.     Let  no  man  rob  you  of  your  prize  by 

(3)  That  of  the  American  Revisers,  *  having  despoiled  the 
principalities  and  powers.'  If  we  adopt  their  translation,  it  only 
remains  to  ask  whether  '  the  principalities  and  powers '  are  to  be 
understood  of  infernal  or  heavenly  beings.  If  the  angelic  mes- 
sengers are  here  regarded,  as  they  are  elsewhere  represented,  as 
the  ministers  of  the  law,  and  this  conception  gave  rise  to  the 
Colossian  errors  of  unduly  exalting  angels  to  the  lessening  of  the 
authority  of  Christ,  we  can  give  a  definite  and  appropriate 
meaning  to  the  words. 

openly  may  also  be  rendered  'boldl}^'  the  meaning  it  has  in 
every  passage  in  Paul's  writings,  and  is  not  inappropriate  here. 

triumpliingr  is  better  rendered  'leading  in  triumph,'  as  in 
2  Cor.  ii.  14. 

in  it :  viz.  *  in  the  cross,'  as  understood  by  the  majority 
of  interpreters,  '  the  violence  of  the  metaphor  being  its  justifica- 
tion,' as  Lightfoot  says,  but  some  moderns  understand  it  of '  the 
bond  '  (verse  14).  '  In  doing  away  with  the  bond,  God  triumphed 
over  those  who  administered  it '  (Abbott). 

ii.  16-19.  -^  warning  not  to  be  deluded  by  the  shadow  for  the 
substance. 

Two  errors  are  here  dealt  with — the  practical  one,  of  being 
influenced  by  ascetic  practices  and  ritual,  and  the  speculative  one, 
of  permitting  the  supposed  mediation  of  angels  to  obscure  the 
supreme  majesty  of  Christ. 

judge  you  :  i.  e.  *  take  you  to  task.' 

in  meat,  &c.  :  rather, '  in  the  matter  of  eating  and  drinking ' ; 
the  words  signify  the  action,  not  the  food  or  drink. 

a  feast  day,  &c. :  i.  e.  the  annual,  monthly,  and  weekly 
ceremonials  of  the  Jewish  ritualists.     Cf.  Gal.  iv.   10. 

17.  is  Christ's  :  i.  e.  is  his  possession. 

18.  rob  ...  of  your  prize.  The  word  so  rendered  is  a  very 
rare  one,  having  been  only  found  in  two  other  places  in  the 
whole  range  of  Greek  literature.  One  of  these,  however,  almost 
constitutes  a  definition  of  its  meaning,  which  is  there  given  as 
*  decides  or  takes  part  against.'  This  translation,  *  give  judgement 
against  you,'  makes  excellent  sense  here,   as  being  a  stage  in 


TO  THE  COLOSSIANS  2.   19  143 

a  voluntary  humility  and  worshipping  of  the  angels, 
dwelling  in  the  things  which  he  hath  seen,  vainly  puffed 
up  by  his  fleshly  mind,  and  not  holding  fast  the  Head,  19 
from  whom  all  the  body,  being  supplied  and  knit  together 
through  the  joints  and  bands,  increaseth  with  the  in- 
crease of  God. 

advance  of  verse  16.  The  ordinary  meaning  is  taken  from  the 
simple  verb  (of  which  this  is  a  compound),  which  means  primarily 
'to  act  as  umpire,'  and  so  award  the  prize,  but  there  is  no 
evidence  that  this  word  ever  held  any  reference  to  the  derivative 
meaning. 

voluntary.  So  difficult  of  interpretation  is  the  word  thus 
rendered,  that  editors  have  been  driven  to  the  last  resort  of 
conjectural  emendation  of  the  text  to  make  it  more  satisfactory. 
There  is  no  MS.  authority,  however,  for  such  a  course,  and  one 
must  make  the  best  of  the  reading  as  it  exists.  This  seems  most 
satisfactorily  done  by  the  R.  V.  marg.,  viz.  'of  his  own  mere 
will,  by  humility,'  &c.  This  interpretation,  satisfactory  on  other 
grounds,  is  confirmed  by  the  word  'will-worship'  in  verse  23, 
where  see  note. 

humility.  This  is  false  as  contrasted  with  the  true  humility 
of  iii.  12.  The  humility  that  said  it  was  unworthy  to  approach 
God,  and  so  needed  the  intervention  of  angels,  was  of  the  nature 
of— 

*  the  devil's  darling  sin. 
The  pride  that  apes  humility.' 

dwellingr  in  is  a  word  that  varies  in  its  meaning,  being 
rendered  with  equal  accuracy  as  in  the  text  or  in  the  R.  V.  marg. 
'  taking  his  stand  upon,'  or  '  poring  over,'  or  'making  parade  of.' 

the  thing's  which  he  hath  seen :  i.  e.  his  visions.  But  many 
ancient  MSS.  insert  a  negative,  as  the  R.  V.  marg.  indicates,  and 
the  A.  V.  text  renders.  The  preponderance  of  authority  seems  to  be 
against  the  negative,  and  the  sense  of  the  R.  V.  text  is  more  in  agree- 
ment with  the  tenor  of  the  passage.  Clever  conjectural  emenda- 
tions have  been  made  here  also,  but  without  sufficient  evidence  of 
probability.  The  best  would  render  the  whole  phrase,  '  treading 
on  empty  air,'  which  agrees  admirably  with  the  context,  were  we 
only  certain  that  the  existing  text  is  corrupt. 

19.  the  increase  of  God :  cf.  i  Cor.  iii.  6,  *  God  gave  the  increase.' 
Lightfoot  suggests  that  this  whole  illustration  may  have  been  due 
to  Paul's  association  at  the  time  with  Luke  who,  as  a  physician, 
may  have  by  his  conversation  suggested  such  a  line  of  thought. 
Cf.  Eph.  iv.  16. 


144  ^fO  THE  COLOSSIANS   2.   20— 3.   i 

20  If  ye  died  with  Christ  from  the  rudiments  of  the 
world,  why,  as  though  Hving  in  the  world,  do  ye  subject 

21  yourselves  to  ordinances,    Handle    not,    nor   taste,    nor 

22  touch  (all  which  things  are  to  perish  with   the  using), 

23  after  the  precepts  and  doctrines  of  men  ?  Which  things 
have  indeed  a  show  of  wisdom  in  will-worship,  and 
humility,  and  severity  to  the  body ;  hit  ai-e  not  of  any 
value  against  the  indulgence  of  the  flesh. 

3      If  then  ye  were  raised  together  with  Christ,  seek  the 

ii.  20 — iii.  4.  Death  "with  Chnst  destroys  all  response  to  worldly 
claims,  and  life  with  Christ  has  a  hidden  but  glorious  heritage. 

Those  who  have  died  with  Christ  must  not  re-enslave  themselves 
to  worldly  standards  and  the  bondage  of  human  traditions. 
Theirs  is  a  fuller  freedom,  an  ampler  air.  The  breath  of  heaven 
is  in  their  hearts,  and  in  this  atmosphere  no  lower  life  can  flourish, 
while  fairer  visions  are  ever  unfolding,  till  one  day  the  veil  will  be 
rent,  and  the  perfect  glory  be  revealed. 

21.  These  are  examples  of  the  ordinances  referred  to.  The 
first  word  is  stronger  than  the  third.  Coverdale's  rendering  is 
good,  save  that  the  order  is  inverted, '  As  when  they  say,  Touch  not 
this,  taste  not  that,  handle  not  that.' 

22.  For  the  thought  of  the  verse  cf.  our  Lord's  teaching  in 
Matt.  XV.  16-20,  and  Paul's  elsewhere  in  i  Cor.  vi.  13  and  viii.  8. 

23.  a  sliow  of  wisdom :  i.  e.  '  a  repute  of  wisdom.' 
wUl-woxsliip  is  a  word  found  only  here  in   the  N.  T.      It 

denotes  *  a  self-imposed  service ' — the  following  the  dictates  of 
one's  own  will — the  outcome  of  intellectual  pride. 

not  of  any  value.  These  words  are  very  difficult  to  interpret. 
The  rendering  of  the  R.  V.  is  the  favourite  one  with  the  majority 
of  modern  commentators.  An  older  interpretation  is  '  to  satisfy 
the  reasonable  wants  of  the  body,  not  holding  it  (the  body) 
in  any  honour.'  Against  both  interpretations  there  are  serious 
objections  from  the  strained  sense  they  put  upon  words  and 
constructions  in  the  original.  A  more  satisfactory  meaning  is 
got  out  of  the  words  by  understanding  them  in  some  such  way 
as  follows,  '  this  security  of  the  body  does  not  bring  any  honour 
save  that  of  the  full  satisfaction  of  the  flesh,*  i.e.  it  only  pampers 
the  pride  of  the  natural  man. 

iii.  1.  If ...  ye  were  raised  points  to  a  definite  crisis  in  their 
spiritual  experience. 

seek  the  things  that  are  above:  for  the  contrast  see 
Phil.  iii.  19. 


TO  THE  COLOSSIANS  3.  2-10  145 

things  that  are  above,  where  Christ  is,  seated  on   the 
right  hand  of  God.     Set  your  mind  on  the  things  that   2 
are  above,  not  on  the  things  that  are  upon  the  earth. 
For  ye  died,  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God.   3 
When  Christ,  who  is  our  life,  shall  be  manifested,  then   4 
shall  ye  also  with  him  be  manifested  in  glory. 

Mortify  therefore  your  members  which  are  upon  the   5 
earth ;  fornication,  uncleanness,  passion,  evil  desire,  and 
covetousness,  the  which  is   idolatry ;   for  which  things'   6 
sake  Cometh  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  sons  of  disobe- 
dience ;  in  the  which  ye  also  walked  aforetime,  when  ye   7 
lived  in  these  things.     But  now  put  ye   also   away   all   8 
these ;  anger,  wrath,  malice,  railing,  shameful  speaking 
out  of  your  mouth  :  lie  not  one  to  another ;  seeing  that   9 
ye  have  put  off  the  old  man  with  his  doings,  and  have  10 
put   on   the   new   man,   which   is   being  renewed  unto 

iii.  5-1 1.  Death  to  sin.     Life  to  righteousness. 
Sins  of  the  outward  and  inward  life  to  be  destroyed,  and  the 
new  garment  of  Christliness  to  be  put  on. 

5.  The  rendering  of  the  American  Revisers  is  good,  *  Put  to 
death.'     Cf.  parallel  in  Eph.  v.  5  and  note. 

6.  The  omission  of  the  words  upon  the  sons  of  disobedience 
does  not  have  many  MSS.  to  support  it.  The  words  occur  in 
Eph.  V.  6,  and  it  is  possible  they  were  copied  here  from  that 
verse,  though  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  Paul  (when 
the  passages  are  so  closely  parallel)  may  not  have  repeated 
himself  exactly  here. 

7.  in  the  which  ...  in  these  things.  In  the  original  both 
maybe  masculine  or  neuter,  and  thus  the  phrase  can  be  understood 
in  several  different  ways  :  either  both  neuter,  as  in  the  R.  V.  text, 
or  both  masculine,  or  one  masculine  and  the  other  neuter.  The 
parallel  in  Eph.  ii.  3  inclines  one  to  read  *  among  whom.' 

The  tenses  of  the  verb  are  different  in  Greek,  so  that  '  walked ' 
denotes  a  series  of  single  acts,  and  *  were  living '  a  continuous 
state. 

8.  shameful  speaking'  seems  clearly  to  mean  *  abusive '  rather 
than  'unclean'  language. 

9.  seeing  that,  &c. :  may  also  be  read  'putting  off'  as  part 
of  the  exhortation. 

(8^  I. 


146  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS  3.  11-15 

knowledge  after  the  image  of  him   that   created   him : 
II  where  there  cannot  be  Greek  and  Jew,  circumcision  and 

uncircumcision,  barbarian,  Scythian,  bondman,  freeman : 

but  Christ  is  all,  and  in  all. 
13      Put   on  therefore,  as  God's  elect,  holy  and  beloved, 

a   heart   of  compassion,   kindness,  humility,  meekness, 

13  longsuffering ;  forbearing  one  another,  and  forgiving  each 
other,  if  any  man  have  a  complaint  against  any  ;  even  as 

14  the  Lord  forgave  you,  so  also  do  ye  :  and  above  all  these 
things  put  on  love,  which  is  the   bond   of  perfectness. 

15  And  let  the  peace  of  Christ  rule  in  your  hearts,  to  the 

11.  Cf.  Gal.  iii.  28.  Greek  to  the  Jew  was  a  general  term 
for  '  Gentile.' 

barbarian  is  said  to  be  an  attempt  to  represent  the  sound 
of  uncouth  speech — 'gibberish.'  Lightfoot  quotes  Max  Muller: 
'Not  till  that  word  barbarian  was  struck  out  of  the  dictionary 
of  mankind,  and  replaced  by  brother,  not  till  the  right  of  all 
nations  of  the  world  to  be  classed  as  members  of  one  genus  or  kind 
was  recognized,  can  we  look  even  for  the  first  beginnings  of  our 
science  (of  language).     This  change  was  effected  by  Christianity,' 

Scytbiau  is  not  a  contrast,  but  a  climax,  since  that  nation 
was  looked  down  on  as  the  most  barbarous  of  all  the  barbarians. 
Its  usage  corresponded  with  our  *  vandal.' 

bondman :  this  contrast  is  probably  suggested  through  his 
mind  being  full  of  the  case  of  Philemon  and  Onesimus.  At  all 
events  that  incident  would  give  point  to  the  words. 

iii.  12-17.  The  beautiful  garments  of  holiness,  and  the  spirit 
of  praise. 

12.  lEindnesSi  hnmility,  meekness,  long'suff'ering'.  The  two 
first  words,  says  Lightfoot,  '  describe  the  Christian  temper  of 
tnind  generally,'  while  the  latter  two  '  denote  the  exercise  of  the 
Christian  temper  in  its  outward  bearing  towards  others.' 

13.  complaint.  The  '  quarrel '  of  A,  V.  is  a  usage  of  the 
older  English.  It  is  found  again  in  Mark  vi.  19  (A.  V.),  '  Herodias 
had  a  quarrel  against  him,'  and  the  dictionaries  quote  Felton  :  '  I 
have  no  quarrel  to  the  practice.' 

even  as  the  Iiord.  The  majority  of  MSS.  (some  of  the  fii-st 
authority)  read  '  Christ.'  The  parallel  in  Eph.  iv.  32  has  *  God 
in  Christ.'  This  is  the  only  passage  in  which  Christ  is  directly 
said  to  forgive. 

15.  let  the  peace  of  Christ  rule.    Abbott  suggestively  compares 


TO  THE  COLOSSIANS  3.  16-22  147 

which  also  ye  were  called  in  one  body ;  and  be  ye 
thankful.  Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly  in  16 
all  wisdom  ;  teaching  and  admonishing  one  another  with 
psalms  and  hymns  a7id  spiritual  songs,  singing  with  grace 
in  your  hearts  unto  God.  And  whatsoever  ye  do,  in  17 
word  or  in  deed,  do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
giving  thanks  to  God  the  Father  through  him. 

Wives,  be  in  subjection  to  your  husbands,  as  is  fitting  1 8 
in  the  Lord.  Husbands,  love  your  wives,  and  be  not  19 
bitter  against  them.  Children,  obey  your  parents  in  all  20 
things,  for  this  is  well-pleasing  in  the  Lord.  Fathers,  21 
provoke  not  your  children,  that  they  be  not  discouraged. 
Servants,  obey  in  all  things  them  that  are  your  masters  22 
according  to  the  flesh;    not  with   eyeservice,   as   men- 

the  phrase  'the  king's  peace.'  The  idea  of  'arbitrate'  must  not 
be  pressed  ;  see  ii.  18  and  note.  Many  MSS.  read  'the  peace  of 
God,'  but  it  is  not  so  suitable  to  the  context,  and  is  probably  copied 
from  Phil.  iv.  7. 

in  one  body  s  cf.  Eph.  iv.  3,  4. 

be  ye  thankful :  rather, '  become  thankful.'  The  truly  thank- 
ful spirit  is  the  goal  towards  which  they  are  to  strive.  The  word 
rendered  '  thankful '  may  also  mean  *  agreeable,'  '  pleasant,'  as  in 
Prov.  xi.  J 6,  'a  gracious  woman/  and  some  think  it  has  that 
meaning  here — the  duty  of  thankfulness  being  inculcated  in  verse 
17.  The  perfect  courtesy  of  Paul  would  make  it  quite  fitting  that 
he  should  exhort  his  fellow-Christians  to  a  similar  spirit. 

16.  in  all  wisdom.  These  words  may  be  equally  well  con- 
nected with  the  words  that  follow,  if  not  better  than  with  the 
words  that  precede  them. 

iii.  18 — iv.  I.  A  series  of  precepts  for  the  special  relations  of  life. 
For  the  whole  passage  compare  the  more  elaborate  treatment 
in  Eph.  v.  22 — vi.  9  and  the  notes  there. 

19.  be  not  bitter :  '  don't  be  "  cross  "  with.' 

21.  that  they  be  not  discourag-ed :  'that  they  may  not  lose 
heart'  Cf.  such  a  study  of  child-life  as  that  of  Maggie  Tulliver 
in  the  Mill  on  the  Floss. 

22.  It  has  been  suggested  that  the  large  proportionate  space 
devoted  to  the  duties  of  masters  and  slaves  here  is  due  to  the 
case  of  Onesimus. 

L  2 


148         TO  THE  COLOSSIANS 


o.    2; 


pleaseis,  but  in  singleness  of  heart,  fearing  the   Lord  : 

23  whatsoever  ye  do,  work  heartily,  as  unto  the  Lord,  and 

24  not  unto  men ;  knowing  that  from  the  Lord  ye  shall 
receive  the  recompense  of  the  inheritance :  ye  serve  the 

25  Lord  Christ.  For  he  that  doeth  wrong  shall  receive 
again  for  the  wrong  that  he  hath  done :  and  there  is  no 

4  respect  of  persons.  Masters,  render  unto  your  servants 
that  which  is  just  and  equal ;  knowing  that  ye  also  have 
a  Master  in  heaven. 

2  Continue  stedfastly  in  prayer,  watching  therein  with 

3  thanksgiving ;  withal  praying  for  us  also,  that  God  may 
open  unto  us  a  door  for  the  word,  to  speak  the  mystery 

4  of  Christ,  for  which  1  am  also  in  bonds ;    that  I  may 

5  make  it  manifest,  as  I  ought  to  speak.     Walk  in  wisdom 

6  toward  them  that  are  without,  redeeming  the  time.  Let 
your  speech  be  always  with  grace,  seasoned  with  salt, 
that  ye  may  know  how  ye  ought  to  answer  each  one. 

7  All  my  affairs  shall  Tychicus  make  known  unto  you, 
the   beloved   brother   and   faithful  minister  and  fellow- 

24.  ye  serve:  may  also  be  read  as  imperative,  'serve  the 
Lord  Christ/  and  probably  better  so,  in  view  of  what  follows. 

25.  lie  that  doeth  wronff:  obviously  the  unjust  master.  Some 
understand  the  reference  to  be  to  both  masters  and  slaves. 

iv.  2-6.  Exhortation  and  counsel. 

A  general  exhortation  to  prayer  and  a  special  request  for 
intercession.     Advice  as  to  conduct  and  speech. 

3.  a  door  for  the  word :  for  the  metaphor  cf.  i  Cor.  xvi.  9 ; 
2  Cor.  ii.  12. 

4.  An  interesting  interpretation  has  been  recently  given  of 
this  verse.  It  is  taken  as  being  a  reference  to  Paul's  coming 
trial,  the  result  of  which  is  stated  in  Phil.  i.  12 ff.,  and  is  read 
as  follows  : — '  in  order  that  I  may  make  it  manifest,  now  I  am 
bound  to  speak ' — i.  e.  be  able  to  set  forth  clearly  the  constraint 
of  the  Cross  ;  cf.  i  Cor.  ix.  16,  '  for  woe  is  unto  me,  if  I  preach  not 
the  gospel.' 

iv.  7-18.  Personal  commendations  and  salutations.     Benediction. 
*I.  fellow-Eiervant  is  added  to  the  description  given  in  Eph.vi.21, 
probably  to  put  him  on  a  level  with  Epaphras  (i.  7). 


TO  THE  COLOSSIANS  4.  8-12  149 

servant  in  the  Lord :  whom  I  have  sent  unto  you  for  this  8 
very  purpose,  that  ye  may  know  our  estate,  and  that  he 
may  comfort  your  hearts  ;  together  with  Onesimus,  the   9 
faithful  and  beloved  brother,  who  is  one  of  you.     They 
shall  make  known  unto  you  all  things  that  are  done  here. 

Aristarchus    my    fellow-prisoner    saluteth    you,    and  10 
Mark,    the    cousin    of    Barnabas   (touching   whom   ye 
received  commandments ;  if  he  come  unto  you,  receive 
him),  and  Jesus,  which  is  called  Justus,  who  are  of  the  1 1 
circumcision  :  these  only  are  my  fellow-workers  unto  the 
kingdom  of  God,  men  that  have  been  a  comfort  unto 
me.     Epaphras,  who  is  one  of  you,  a  servant  of  Christ  1 2 
Jesus,  saluteth  you,  always  striving  for  you  in  his  prayers, 

8.  The  reading  of  the  A.  V.  in  this  verse  cannot  be  supported. 

9.  Note  the  fine  courtesy  of  this  description  of  Onesimus,  and 
the  assumption  that  he  will  be  received  in  this  spirit  by  the 
Colossian  church  ;  cf.  Philem,  i6. 

10.  Aristarclius,  we  learn  from  Acts  xix.  29,  and  xx.  4,  was  a 
native  of  Thessalonica,  a  member  of  the  deputation  to  Jerusalem, 
and  a  sharer  in  Paul's  perils  at  Ephesus.  From  Acts  xxvii.  2  we 
learn  that  he  was  Paul's  companion  also  in  the  voyage  to  Rome ; 
whether  he  parted  from  the  Apostle  at  Myra  and  joined  him  in  the 
imperial  city  later,  as  Lightfoot  thinks,  or  was  with  him  through- 
out all  the  dangers  of  that  memorable  journey,  is  not  known.  His 
name  is  associated  with  Paul  also  in  Philem.  24,  and  is  doubtless 
included  in  the  mention  of  his  fellow-prisoners  in  Rom.  xvi.  7. 

Mark.  The  well-known  defection  of  Mark,  as  related  in 
Acts  xiii.  13,  and  xv.  37-40,  with  its  subsequent  estrangement 
between  Paul  and  Barnabas,  might  be  a  reason  for  coolness  on 
the  part  of  some  of  the  churches  towards  the  evangelist.  Again 
Paul's  courtesy  and  generous  feeling  are  manifest. 

11.  Jesus:  of  this  man  nothing  else  is  known.  The  surname 
'Justus'  was  common. 

wlio  are.  These  words  are  better  taken  in  connexion  with 
the  words  that  follow,  ^  of  those  of  the  circumcision  these  alone 
are  fellow- workers.' 

12.  Epaphras:  'Paul's  delegate,  his  representative  in  Christ' 
(Lightfoot).  He  had  probably  been  involved  in  the  Apostle's 
imprisonment,  cf.  Philem.  23,  perhaps  through  his  devotion  to 
him. 


I50  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS  4.  13-17 

that  ye  may  stand  perfect  and  fully  assured  in  all  the  will 

13  of  God.     For  I  bear  him  witness,  that  he  hath  much 
labour  for  you,  and  for  them  in  Laodicea,  and  for  them 

14  in  Hierapolis.     Luke,  the  beloved  physician,  and  Demas 

15  salute  you.     Salute  the  brethren  that  are  in  Laodicea, 
and  Nymphas,  and  the  church  that  is  in  their   house. 

16  And  when  this  epistle  hath  been  read  among  you,  cause 
that  it  be  read  also  in  the  church  of  the  Laodiceans ;  and 

17  that  ye  also  read  the  epistle  from  Laodicea.     And  say  to 

13.  Iiaodicea  (see  Introduction,  p.  13).  Epaphras  seems  to 
have  stood  in  the  same  relation  to  all. 

14.  Iiuke:  cf.  2  Tim.  iv,  11,  and  Philem.  24.  See  the  Intro- 
duction to  Luke's  Gospel  in  this  series. 

Demas.  It  is  conjectured  that  this  is  a  contraction  for 
Demetrius.  He  is  named  again  in  Philem.  24.  In  2  Tim.  iv.  10 
there  is  a  sad  reference  to  him,  '  Demas  forsook  me,  having  loved 
this  present  world,  and  went  to  Thessalonica.'  Perhaps  some 
forecast  of  that  '  rift  within  the  lute '  prevents  Paul  adding  any 
commendatory  note  here  to  his  name. 

15.  Nymplias  is  probably  a  short  form  of  Nymphodorus,  of 
which  form  of  contraction  there  are  many  instances,  as  Zenas 
for  Zenodorus  (Tit.  iii,  12,  13),  Olympas  for  Olympiodorus  (Rom. 
xvi.  15). 

in  their  house  is  difficult  to  explain.  Some  understand  it 
as  being  *  the  family  of  Nymphas,'  but  there  is  no  parallel  usage 
to  justify  this  interpretation.  Some  refer  it  to  a  distinct  church 
from  that  of  Laodicea.  The  reading  'her'  has  the  slenderest 
manuscript  support,  and  arises  from  understanding  Nymphas  as 
a  woman's  name — a  very  unlikely  form.  The  form  *  his '  has  better 
authority,  and  is  the  most  simple,  but  the  reading  of  the  text  has 
undoubtedly  the  best  MS.  support. 

16.  the  epistle  from  laodicea.  What  was  it?  Some  have 
answered,  a  letter  written /row  Laodicea,  either  by  Paul  or  by  the 
church  there.  Paul,  however,  had  never  been  at  Laodicea  (ii.  i), 
nor  was  he  likely  to  advise  the  Colossian  church  to  read  a  letter 
written  by  the  Laodiceans,  even  were  that  possible.  We  are 
compelled,  then,  to  understand  it  as  referring  to  a  letter  written 
to  the  Laodicean  church,  and  there  are  three  answers  to  the 
question  : — • 

(i)  There  is  a  letter  to  the  Laodiceans  extant.  It  only  exists 
in  Latin,  but  shews  evidence  of  being  originally  written  in  Greek. 
It  '  hovered  about  the  doors  of  the  sacred  canon '  for  nine  hundred 


TO  THE  COLOSSIANS  4.  i8  151 

Archippus,  Take  heed  to  the  ministry  which  thou  hast 
received  in  the  Lord,  that  thou  fulfil  it. 

The   salutation   of  me   Paul   with   mine   own   hand,  il 
Remember  my  bonds.     Grace  be  with  you. 

years,  but  was  clearly  seen  then  to  be  a  mere  collection  of 
Pauline  phrases  with  no  unity  or  originality  about  it.  A  transla- 
tion of  it  is  given  in  Appendix  A. 

(2)  The  letter  may  be  lost.  There  is  no  need  to  assume  this 
fact,  though  it  seems  more  than  likely  (cf.  i  Cor.  v.  9)  that  we 
have  only  a  selection  of  the  many  letters  that  Paul  would  doubt- 
less write. 

(3)  The  letter  is  one  we  possess  under  another  name,  viz.  the 
Epistle  to  the  Ephesians ;  see  the  Introduction  to  that  Epistle, 
p.  17. 

1*7.  Archippns:  see  Philem.  2,  where  he  is  described  as  Paul's 
*  fellow-soldier.'  He  seems  to  have  been  a  leading  member  of  the 
church  at  Colossae,  though  Lightfoot  thinks  it  more  probable  he 
resided  at  Laodicea. 

Take  heed,  &c.  There  is  here  a  strong  resemblance  to  the 
language  used  in  the  Pastoral  Epistles,  cf.  2  Tim.  iv.  5,  and  if 
Archippus  was  a  young  man  it  was  natural  that  Paul  should  so 
address  him,  without  there  being  any  reference  to  past  care- 
lessness. 

18.  Remember  my  bonds.  This  most  touching  appeal  is 
rendered  more  eloquent  when  we  remember,  as  Alford  bids  us  do, 
that  'his  chains  moved  over  the  paper  as  he  wrote.  His  hand 
was  chained  to  the  soldier  that  kept  him.' 

Grace  be  witli  you.  This  form  of  benediction  is  found  also 
in  I  and  2  Tim. 


THE  EPISTLE  OF  PAUL  TO 

PHILEMON 

1  Paul,  a  prisoner  of  Christ  Jesus,  and  Timothy  our 
brother,  to  Philemon  our   beloved   and   fellow-worker, 

2  and  to  Apphia  our  sister,  and  to  Archippus  our  fellow- 

3  soldier,  and  to  the  church  in  thy  house :  Grace  to  you 
and  peace  from  God  our  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

4  I  thank  my  God  always,  making  mention  of  thee  in 

1-3.  Greeting. 

1.  a  prisoner.  Cf.  Eph.  iii.  i,  and  note.  Here  the  term  is 
peculiarly  suitable  for  his  appeal. 

Timothy.  See  Phil.  i.  i,  and  note.  Timothy  may  have 
known  Philemon  personally, 

Philemon.  See  Introduction  to  this  Epistle.  The  R.  V. 
rightly  connects  'our'  with  both  epithets. 

2.  Apphia.     See  Introduction  to  this  Epistle. 

sister  :  much  better  authenticated  and  more  probable  than 
A.  V.'s  '  beloved.' 

Archippus.     See  Introduction  to  this  Epistle. 

fellow-soldier.     See  Phil.  ii.  25,  and  note. 

the  church  in  thy  house.  Of  such  an  assembly  we  read 
in  Rom.  xvi.  5  ;  i  Cor.  xvi.  19 ;  Col.  iv.  15.  See  note  on  latter 
passage. 

We  see  that  the  subject  of  this  letter  was  deemed  of  sufficient 
importance  for  communication  to  the  circle  of  Christian  disciples. 

3.  Grace  to  you,  &c.  The  form  of  greeting  is  identical  with 
that  in  Rom.  i.  7  ;  i  Cor.  1.352  Cor.  i.  2 ;  Eph.  i.  2  (where  see 
mote);  Phil.  i.  2. 


TO  PHILEMON   5-8  153 

my  prayers,  hearing  of  thy  love,  and  of  the  faith  which  5 
thou  hast  toward  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  toward  all  the 
saints ;    that  the  fellowship  of  thy  faith   may  become  6 
effectual,  in  the  knowledge  of  every  good  thing  which 
is  in  you,  unto  Christ.    For  1  had  much  joy  and  comfort  7 
in  thy  love,  because  the  hearts  of  the  saints  have  been 
refreshed  through  thee,  brother. 

Wherefore,  though  I  have  all  boldness  in  Christ  to  8 

4-7.    Thanksgiving  and  prayer. 

The  Apostle's  thanksgiving  at  hearing  of  Philemon's  faith  and 
active  aid  to  his  fellow  believers,  and  also  his  prayer  for  the 
increase  of  the  same. 

Paul  follows  his  usual  method  of  passing  at  once  to  an  expression 
of  thankfulness  after  the  opening  greeting.  For  his  own  views 
on  the  subject  of  thanksgiving  see  2  Cor.  iv.  15,  ix.  11,  12;  and 
cf.  the  passages  in  the  Epistles  contained  in  this  volume  with  the 
notes.  This  is  the  only  case  in  which  a  thanksgiving  occurs  in 
a  purely  personal  letter,  save  in  2  Tim.  i,  3. 

4.  making-  mention  of  introduces  the  idea  of  intercession, 
which  follows  in  verse  6. 

5.  The  order  of  the  words  here  is  not  the  natural  one,  and  the 
inversion  gives  rise  to  a  rhetorical  figure  called  chiasm,  of  which 
there  is  another  instance  in  Gal.  iv.  4,  5.  He  is  eager  to  mention 
the  active  love  of  Philemon,  and  this  leads  him  to  think  of  its 
source,  viz.  faith,  which  with  its  object  is  thus  parenthetically 
introduced  between  love  and  its  object. 

6.  the  fellowsMp  of  thy  faith  seems  best  understood  as 
referring  to  Philemon's  kindly  services  to  his  fellow  Christians, 
which  may  open  his  heart  to  understand  still  further  the  mysteries 
of  the  gospel,  and  the  grace  of  Christ.  Christ  '  went  about  doing 
good,'  and  to  follow  his  example  is  the  surest  way  of  learning  to 
know  him.     Cf.  Col.  i.  9 ;  Eph.  iv.  13. 

The  reading  'in  us '  is  preferred  by  Lightfoot,  but  in  yon  has 
undoubted  preponderance  of  authority,  and  does  not  confuse  the 
sense.  The  growth  of  Philemon's  character  is  the  object  of  Paul's 
desire.     Cf.  for  the  idea  Eph.  iv.  15. 

8-17.     PauVs  personal  plea  for  Onesintus. 

The  plea  for  Onesimus,  based  rather  on  love  than  on  authority. 
The  Apostle  identifies  the  erring  but  repentant  slave  with  himself, 
and  pleads  as  in  propria  persona. 

8.  He  bases  his  entreaty  on  the  revelation  of  Philemon's 
character  that  the  reports  of  his  habitual  conduct  have  given. 

boldness  =  ' freedom  of  speech';  see  Eph.  iii.  12,  and  note, 


154  TO  PHILEMON  9-13 

9  enjoin  thee  that  which  is  befitting,  yet  for  love's  sake 
I  rather  beseech,  being  such  a  one  as  Paul  the  aged, 

10  and  now  a  prisoner  also  of  Christ  Jesus :  I  beseech 
thee  for  my  child,  whom  I  have  begotten  in  my  bonds, 

Ti  Onesimus,  who  was  aforetime  unprofitable  to  thee,  but 

1 2  now  is  profitable  to  thee  and  to  me :  whom  I  have  sent 
back  to  thee  in  his  own  person,  that  is,  my  very  heart : 

13  whom  I  would  fain  have  kept  with  me,  that  in  thy  behalf 

also  Col.  ii.  15  note.    As  an  apostle  he  has  the  right  to  dictate  lines 
of  proper  conduct  to  the  members  of  Christian  churches. 

9.  for  love's  sake.  A  fine  practical  illustration  of  the  great 
principle  laid  down  in  i  Cor.  xiii,  '  love  beareth  all  things, 
believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things.'  Cf.  the  opening  and  close 
of  Pliny's  letter  quoted  in  the  Introduction. 

Paul  tlie  aged:  or  '  Paul  an  ambassador.'  In  the  Greek  the 
only  difference  between  the  two  w^ords  is  the  presence  or  absence 
of  the  letter  '  e. '  The  undoubted  use  of  the  ambassador  idea  in  Eph. 
vi.  20  gives  preference  to  that  word's  being  employed  here,  as 
also  does  the  sense  of  authority.  It  is  more  noteworthy  that  an 
honoured  ambassador,  to  whom  also  has  been  granted  the  additional 
honour  of  being  a  prisoner,  should  so  stoop  to  plead.  If  we  read 
'  aged,'  that,  coupled  with  the  thought  of  imprisonment,  must  be 
understood  as  adding  pathos  to  the  pleading,  and  the  idea  of 
authority  falls  into  the  background. 

10.  Mark  the  rhetorical  device  of  withholding,  as  long  as  pos- 
sible, the  name  of  the  person  for  whom  he  pleads. 

whom  I  have  hegotten :  for  metaphor  see  i  Cor.  iv.  15,  and 
Gal.  iv.  19. 

Onesimus :  for  the  name  and  the  play  upon  it  that  follows 
in  verse  11  see  Introduction  to  this  Epistle.  Note  the  fine  feeling 
of  Paul's  association  of  Philemon  with  himself  in  joint  interest  in 
Onesimus. 

12.  Onesimus  accompanied  the  letter;  see  Col.  iv.  7-9. 

my  very  heart.  Cf.  our  use  for  persons  of  the  terms  '  dear 
heart,'  'sweetheart,'  also  Sir  P.  Sidney's  song  : — 


and 


'My  heart  in  him  keeps  him  and  me  in  one; 
His  heart  in  me  my  thoughts  and  fancies  guides ; ' 

'Thou  art  my  love,  my  life,  my  heart.' — To  Anthea. 


13.  in  thy  behalf:  with  a  fine  reference  to  Philemon's  conduct 
to  which  he  has  already  referred,  as  shewing  that  he  feels  sure 


TO  PHILEMON   14-19  155 

he  might  minister  unto  me  in  the  bonds  of  the  gospel : 
but  without  thy  mind   I  would  do  nothing;    that  thy  14 
goodness  should  not  be  as  of  necessity,  but  of  free  will. 
For  perhaps  he  was  therefore  parted  from  thee  for  a  15 
season,    that   thou   shouldest   have   him   for   ever;    no  16 
longer  as  a  servant,  but  more  than  a  servant,  a  brother 
beloved,  specially  to  me,  but  how  much  rather  to  thee, 
both  in  the  flesh  and  in  the  Lord.    If  then  thou  countest  I'j 
me  a  partner,  receive  him  as  myself.     But  if  he  hath  18 
wronged  thee  at  all,  or  oweth  thee  aught,  put  that  to 
mine  account ;    I  Paul  write  it  with  mine  own  hand,  19 

his  friend  would  choose  to  render  these  offices  in  person  if  he 
could.     Onesimus  has  thus  stood  in  his  stead. 

14.  Paul  feels  there  must  not  be  so  much  as  the  appearance  of 
constraint. 

15.  parted.  It  is  a  euphemistic  expression.  Paul  does  not 
say  'ran  away/  that  he  may  not  rouse  Philemon's  anger  by  such 
a  direct  reference  to  his  slave's  fault,  and  may  also  point  him  to 
the  higher  Will,  that  has  directed  the  whole  course  of  events. 

have  :  either  means  *  to  have  back/  or  'to  have  wholly,'  and 
both  ideas  may  be  implied.  Nor  is  there  henceforth  any  limit  to 
the  service — it  passes  into  eternal  regions,  and  is  no  longer  bound 
by  earthly  conditions.     Thus  Philemon  has  gained,  not  lost. 

16.  Paul  here  recalls  the  words  of  Christ  in  John  xv.  15. 
Philemon  has  regained  his  slave,  but  he  has  a  new^  gift  in  a 
devoted  fellow  disciple  of  Christ.  Whether  he  remains  technically 
a  slave  or  not  he  is  no  more  to  be  looked  on  merely  as  a  slave. 

17.  a  partner  =  'a  man  with  the  truest  fellow  feeling,'  'a 
comrade.'     Paul  gives  Titus  the  same  title  in  2  Cor  viii.  23. 

18-22.  Paul  will  be  Philemon  s  guarantor'^  though  the  latter  is  his 
debtor.     Love  will  win  its  way. 

Paul  will  stand  guarantee  for  any  loss  Philemon  may  have 
sustained,  though  indeed  the  latter  is  deeply  in  Paul's  own  debt. 
The  Apostle  feels  perfect  confidence  that  his  request  will  be 
granted,  and  looks  forward  to  a  speedy  meeting. 

18.  Here  again  Paul  refrains  from  naming  the  injury  in  definite 
terms, 

19.  The  language  is  the  formal  one  of  a  legal  deed — '  Paul's 
promissory  note'  (Vincent).  The  letter,  it  would  seem,  was  all 
in  his  own  handwriting,  as  contrasted  with  his  ordinary  custom 


156  TO  PHILEMON  20-25 

I  will  repay  it :  that  I  say  not  unto  thee  how  that  thou 

20  owest  to  me  even  thine  own  self  besides.     Yea,  brother, 
let  me  have  joy  of  thee  in  the  Lord :  refresh  my  heart  in 

21  Christ.     Having  confidence  in  thine  obedience  I  write 
unto  thee,  knowing  that  thou  wilt  do  even  beyond  what 

22  I  say.    But  withal  prepare  me  also  a  lodging  :  for  I  hope 
that  through  your  prayers  I  shall  be  granted  unto  you. 

23  Epaphras,  my  fellow-prisoner  in  Christ  Jesus,  saluteth 

24  thee ;   and  so  do  Mark,  Aristarchus,  Demas,  Luke,  my 
fellow-workers. 

25  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  your 
spirit.     Amen. 

of  dictating  to  an  amanuensis.     Cf.  2  Thess.  iii.  17  ;  Col.  iv.  18 ; 
Gal.  vi.  II,  and  notes  on  these  passages. 

how  tliat  thou  owest,  &c.  Philemon  was  Paul's  own  con- 
vert. Might  not  then  any  question  of  repayment  be  from  the 
other  side? 

20.  The  word  brother  has  in  it  a  note  of  tender  appeal.  Cf. 
its  use  in  Gal.  iii.  15,  vi.  i,  18.  Commenting  on  the  second  of 
these  passages  Bengel  says,  *  A  whole  argument  lies  hidden  under 
this  one  word,'  which  statement  may  be  truthfully  applied  here. 

let  me  have  joy:  or  'profit.'  The  Greek  word  here  used, 
onaimen,  seems  to  have  a  probable  playing  reference  to  the  name 
Onesimus,  as  the  habit  was  a  common  Hebrew  one.  The  word 
suggests  the  relation  and  duty  of  a  son  to  his  father. 

21.  Does  Paul  mean  that  Philemon  may  set  his  slave  free  ?  See 
Introduction. 

22.  Cf.  Phil.  ii.  24,  and  note.  The  Apostle  would  most  likely 
travel  to  Colossse  via  Philippi.  Paul's  contemplated  visit  would 
act  as  an  additional  incentive  to  Philemon  to  carry  out  his  wishes. 
The  word  used  for  lodging'  does  not  necessarily  mean  in  Phile- 
mon's house.  The  invitation  to  be  his  guest  the  Apostle  leaves  him 
to  give — a  fine  instance  of  his  true  courtesy. 

23-25.  Salutations  and  benediction. 

23.  24.  For  the  names  here  mentioned  see  Col.  iv.  10,  &c.,  and 
notes  there.  The  name  of  Epaphras  is  probably  mentioned  first 
as  best  known  to  Philemon. 

For  the  particular  form  of  the  benediction  see  Gal.  vi.  18. 


THE  EPISTLE  OF  PAUL  THE  APOSTLE 


TO   THE 


PHILIPPIANS 


Paul  and  Timothy,  servants  of  Christ  Jesus,  to  all  1 
the  saints  in  Christ  Jesus  which  are  at  Philippi,  with  the 
bishops  and  deacons :  Grace  to  you  and  peace  from  God  2 
our  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

i.  1-2.      Opening  salutation. 

The  two  names  are  coupled  in  the  introductions  to  2  Corinthians, 
Colossians,  Philemon,  i  and  2  Thessalonians.  Timothy  had  been 
with  Paul  when  he  first  visited  Macedonia,  as  related  in  Acts  xvi. 
He  had  revisited  it  (Acts  xix.  22,  xx.  i,  4),  and  is  now  about  to 
be  sent  again  as  Paul's  representative  (ii.  19-23). 

The  omission  of  the  title  '  apostle '  shews  Paul's  intimate  friendly 
terms  with  the  church,  where  he  does  not  need  to  stand  upon 
authority. 

servants  of  Christ  Jesus  occurs  in  a  similar  position  only  in 
Romans  and  Titus.  It  is  a  favourite  title  with  him,  as  indicative 
of  his  loving  devotion  to  his  Lord. 

bishops  and  deacons.  This  is  the  only  instance  in  the  letters 
of  Paul  (except  the  Pastorals)  where  these  words  occur  in  an 
official  sense,  though  both  i  Corinthians  (e.  g.xii.  28)  and  Ephesians 
(iv.  II,  12)  reveal  a  fairly  well  organized  church,  but  we  are  not 
in  a  position  to  say  that  each  was  identical  in  its  officers  and 
their  titles.  '  Paul  is  a  sower  of  ideas,  not  a  methodical  adminis- 
trator ;  a  despiser  of  ecclesiastical  forms  and  of  ritualism  ;  a  mighty 
idealist  filled  with  Christian  enthusiasm,  and  who  knew  no  other 
church  government  than  that  of  Christ  himself  inspiring  his 
disciples  with  the  knowledge  of  what  they  ought  to  say  and  do ' 
(Rdville). 

This  unique  occurrence  of  these  titles  in  a  greeting  of  one  of  Paul's 
letters  has  given  rise  to  much  controversy.     His  general  language 


158  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS   1.  3-6 

3  I  thank  my  God  upon  all  my  remembrance  of  you, 

4  always  in  every  supplication  of  mine  on  behalf  of  you 

5  all  making  my  supplication  with  joy,  for  your  fellowship 
in  furtherance  of  the  gospel  from  the  first  day  until  now ; 

6  being  confident  of  this  very  thing,  that  he  which  began 
a  good  work  in  you  will  perfect  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus 

is  vague  and  without  definite  principle.  On  the  two  occasions 
on  which  he  gives  lists  of  those  endowed  with  spiritual  gifts  he 
mentions  neither  'bishops'  nor  'deacons'  among  them  (see  Eph. 
iv.  II  and  i  Cor.  xii.  5-1I;.  Again,  the  word  *  diaconate '  is  used 
of  Christian  service  in  the  most  wide  sense,  and  includes  himself 
and  his  activities.  Neither  can  we  definitely  say  that  the  offices  of 
'presbyter 'and  'bishop  are  either  identical  or  distinct.  The 'bishop,' 
at  least,  had  not  its  later  ecclesiastical  significance,  for  there  are 
'  bishops '  in  the  church  at  Philippi.  Still,  a  process  of  development 
seems  evident  in  this  greeting,  a  process  of  differentiation  had  at 
all  events  commenced,  and  in  the  transition  period  that  intervened 
between  the  apoltolic  age  and  that  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  the 
second  century,  we  find  the  state  of  things  here  indicated  expressly 
set  forth  in  the  Teaching  of  the  Tivelve  Apostles,  an  interesting 
tractate  written  about  the  close  of  the  first  century.  In  it  we 
find  the  apostle,  who  must  not  remain  in  one  place  longer  than 
two  days,  the  prophet,  the  bishop,  and  the  deacon.  The  two 
latter  are  officers  of  local  churches  of  lower  standing  than  the 
two  former.  By  the  time  we  reach  the  Ignatian  letters — in  the 
second  decade  of  the  second  century — these  offices  have  already 
hardened  into  three  distinct  grade*;  but  into  these  later  develop- 
ments it  is  not  necessary  to  enter.  The  fact  of  the  titles  being 
here  coupled,  and  nowhere  else  in  Paul's  letters,  tends  to  indicate 
a  later  date  for  this  Epistle. 

i.  3-1 1.      Thanksgiving,  commendation,  and  prayer. 

The  Apostle  thanks  God  continually  for  their  zealous  help  in 
spreading  the  gospel,  and  he  is  certain  their  growth  in  the 
spiritual  life  will  reach  full  maturity.  He  warmly  commends 
their  personal  affection  and  service,  and  prays  for  them  much 
intellectual,  moral,  and  spiritual  blessing. 

5.  fellowship :  doubtless  in  its  more  general  sense,  embracing 
every  form  of  it. 

the   first   day   refers  to  the   introduction  of  the  gospel  to 
their  city  (Acts  xvi). 

6.  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ  may  be  almost  called  a  technical 
term  with  Paul  for  the  Lord's  Second  Advent.  Sometimes  it  is 
shortened  to  *  the  day'  (as  in  i  Thess.  v.  4),  sometimes  'that  day' 


TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS   1.  7-ir  159 

Christ :   even  as  it  is  right  for  me  to  be  thus  minded   7 
on  behalf  of  you  all,  because  I  have  you  in  my  heart, 
inasmuch  as,  both  in  my  bonds  and  in  the  defence  and 
confirmation  of  the  gospel,  ye  all  are  partakers  with  me 
of  grace.     For  God  is  my  witness,  how  I  long  after  you   8 
all  in  the  tender  mercies  of  Christ  Jesus.     And  this  I   9 
pray,  that  your  love  may  abound  yet  more  and  more 
in   knowledge   and   all   discernment ;    so  that   ye   may  10 
approve   the   things   that   are   excellent;    that   ye   may 
be  sincere  and  void  of  offence  unto  the  day  of  Christ ; 
being   filled    with    the    fruits    of  righteousness,    which  11 
are   through   Jesus   Christ,  unto   the  glory   and   praise 
of  God. 


(2  Thess.  i.  10),  sometimes  'the  day  of  Christ'  (verse  10  below), 
sometimes  *  the  day  of  the  Lord'  (i  Thess.  v.  2),  sometimes 
'  the  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ '  ( i  Cor.  i.  8). 

7.  I  liave  you  is  better  on  grounds  of  grammar  and  sense 
than  the  variant  of  the  margin  'ye  have  me.' 

defence  is,  in  the  original,  '  apology,'  as  in  The  Apology  of 
Socrates. 

confirmation  is  a  technical,  legal  word  for  '  guarantee ' 
or  'vindication'  (see  Deissmann,  BibJe  Studies,  p.  108,  and 
Introduction,  p.  40). 

9.  in  knowledge.  This  prayer  for  knowledge  is  common  to  the 
three  Epistles  in  this  book.    Cf.  Eph.  i.  17,  18,  iii.  18,  19  ;  Col.  i.  9. 

discernment.  The  word  used  here  is  not  found  again  in  all 
Paul's  writings.  It  implies  'discriminating  discernment' — a  high 
spiritual  gift. 

10.  approve  the  things  that  are  excellent.  The  word 
translated  'to  be  excellent' means  also  'to  differ.'  Hence  arise 
two  interpretations,  that  of  the  text,  and  that  of  the  margin,  'to 
prove  the  things  that  differ.'  It  must  be  said  that  the  latter 
interpretation  follows  better  on  the  mention  of  spiritual  discern- 
ment, such  insight  of  love  as  guides  to  the  decision  of  such 
difficult  problems  of  practice  as  are  discussed  in  1  Corinthians. 

void  of  offence  may  mean  either  'without  offence  in  oneself 
or  *  without  offence  toward  others ' — '  without  stumbling '  or 
*  without  putting  stumbling-blocks  in  others'  way.'  The  latter 
seems  more  in  accord  with  the  general  sense  of  the  passage. 

the  day  of  Christ :  see  verse  6,  and  note. 


i6o  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS   1.  12-14 

12  Now  I  would  have  you  know,  brethren,  that  the  things 
ivhich  happe7ied  unto  me   have  fallen  out  rather  unto 

13  the  progress  of  the  gospel;   so  that  my  bonds  became 
manifest  in  Christ  throughout  the  whole  praetorian  guard, 

14  and  to  all  the  rest ;  and  that  most  of  the  brethren  in 
the  Lord,  being  confident  through  my  bonds,  are  more 


i.  12-17.  '^^^  s/a/^  of  the  gospel  in  Rome.  Persecution  spells 
progress. 

His  imprisonment  has  led  to  the  conversion  of  many  of  his 
guards,  and  has  emboldened  his  friends,  while  it  has  stirred  up 
his  rivals,  so  that  on  all  sides  the  activity  of  preaching  spreads. 

12.  progress:  the  word  so  rendered  is  believed  to  gain  its 
meaning  from  the  figure  of  pioneers  cutting  a  way  before  an 
advancing  army. 

13.  became  manifest  in  Christ.  It  was  his  imprisonmentybr 
Christ  that  was  important.  Men  would  talk  about  the  reason  of 
his  imprisonment.  Paul  is  much  more  sane  than  Ignatius,  and 
in  his  speech  before  Agrippa  wishes  all  his  hearers  were  like 
himself  '  except  these  bonds.'  The  more  hysterical  writer  of 
a  later  day  describes  himself  as  '  a  prisoner  in  bonds  which  are 
a  divine  ornament*  (Ignatius  to  Smyrna). 

the  whole  praetorian  guard.  This  was  the  imperial  guard 
of  ten  thousand  picked  men,  increased  afterwards  to  sixteen 
thousand.  Augustus  organized  it,  and  Tiberius  placed  all  the 
cohorts  in  Rome  in  a  fortified  camp.  The  term  '  pretorium ' 
(used  here)  was  used  to  denote  the  whole  body  of  troops 
composing  the  guard,  and  so  would  mean  here  the  soldiers 
who  relieved  one  another  in  guarding  Paul.  Other  usages  of 
the  word  have  been  advocated  (e.  g.  the  camp,  or  barracks  near 
the  palace  of  Nero),  but,  if  permissible,  are  certainly  exceptional. 
Prof.  Ramsay  includes  in  the  term  *  the  supreme  imperial  court,' 
a  meaning  that  is  not  clearly  supported  in  antiquity. 

to  all  the  rest :  probably  '  to  the  city  at  large.*  The  A.  V. 
rendering  '  in  all  other  places '  is  wrong.  The  *  pretorium '  was 
not  a  place,  as  has  been  shewn. 

14.  the  brethren  in  the  Lord,  being*  confident  thongrh  my 
bonds.  Differences  of  translation  arise  here  through  the 
possibility  of  difference  in  the  connexion  of  the  words.  The 
translation  of  the  text  is  that  followed  by  many,  but  it  is  a  little 
difficult  to  give  a  clear  meaning  to  '  being  confident  through  my 
bonds.'  At  best  it  must  mean  that  *  seeing  how  he  bore  his  bonds 
they  learned  the  secret  of  his  truth.'  Therefore  it  is  better  to  put 
this  directly  by  connecting  *  in  the   Lord '  with  the  words  that 


TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS   1.  15-19  161 

abundantly  bold    to   speak  the  word    of  God  without 
fear.      Some  indeed    preach   Christ  even   of  envy  and  15 
strife;    and   some  also  of  good  will:    the  one  do  it  of  16 
love,  knowing  that  I   am   set  for  the  defence  of  the 
gospel:    but  the  other  proclaim  Christ  of  faction,  not  17 
sincerely,  thinking  to  raise  up  affliction  for  me  in   my 
bonds.     What  then?   only  that  in  every  way,  whether  iS 
in  pretence  or  in  truth,  Christ  is  proclaimed ;  and  therein 
I  rejoice,  yea,  and  will  rejoice.     For  I  know  that  this  19 
shall   turn  to  my  salvation,  through  your  supplication 

follow,  'being  confident  in  the  Lord  by  reason  of  my  bonds/     As 
he  has  already  said,  his  bonds  are  eloquent. 

16.  In  the  A.  V.,  following  the  traditional  Greek  text,  these 
verses  are  reversed,  so  as  to  follow  the  order  of  the  statements 
in  verse  15  ;  but  it  is  a  common  rhetorical  figure  to  invert  the 
order  of  the  reference  in  amplifying  a  statement.  The  translator 
of  the  text  understands  the  words  '  of  love '  and  '  of  faction  '  as 
qualifying  the  verb,  but  they  may  also  be  taken  as  complete 
classes,  'the  men  of  love'  and  'the  men  of  faction.'  So  the 
American  Revisers,  in  common  with  many  interpreters,  render 
'  They  that  are  moved  by  love  do  it,  .  .  .  but  they  that  are  factious 
proclaim  Christ,  not  sincerely.' 

17.  faction.  The  original  word  is  derived  from  one  that  means 
'  a  hired  servant,'  hence  those  who  serve  for  hire — for  their  ov/n 
gain,  and  so  '  partisans.' 

i.  18-26.     Christ  the  beginning  and  the  end. 

In  all  ways  Christ  is  magnified,  and  so  Paul  is  more  than 
content.  Life  and  death  have  only  value  in  relation  to  him,  but 
for  the  Philippians'  sake  Paul  has  confidence  that  he  will  yet 
live  on  earth,  and  see  them  in  the  flesh  once  more. 

18.  A  fine  instance  of  Paul's  optimism. 

I  rejoice.  Here  we  have  struck  for  the  first  time  the 
dominant  note  of  this  Epistle — that  of  joy.  We  can  almost  see 
'flash  from  his  eyes  the  glow  of  his  thanksgiving'  (cf.  i.  25,  ii.  2, 
17,  18,  28,  29,  iii.  I,  iv.  I,  4,  10). 

19.  What  is  this?  Most  reply,  '  the  afflictions  he  has  endured,' 
but  some  'the  fact  that  Christ  is  preached.'  The  latter  is  less 
likely. 

salvation  is  here  used  in  its  widest  sense  of  the  perfecting 
of  his  Christian  life. 

(«)  M 


i62  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS   1.  20-23 

20  and  the  supply  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ,  according 
to  my  earnest  expectation  and  hope,  that  in  nothing 
shall  I  be  put  to  shame,  but  that  with  all  boldness,  as 
always,  so  now  also  Christ  shall  be  magnified  in  my 

21  body,  whether  by  life,  or  by  death.     For  to  me  to  live 

22  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain.  But  if  to  live  in  the  flesh, 
— if  this  is  the  fruit  of  my  work,   then  what  I   shall 

23  choose  I  wot  not.  But  I  am  in  a  strait  betwixt  the 
two,  having  the  desire  to  depart  and   be  with  Christ; 

tlie  supply  of:  i.  e.  the  supply  given  by  the  spirit  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

20.  earnest  expectation.  The  picture  underlying  the  original 
word  is  that  of  a  man  watching  some  object,  with  his  head  turned 
away  front  all  other  objects,  so  it  signifies  '  intentness.' 

lioldness :  see  Eph.  iii.  12  and  note. 

21.  There  can  be  no  finer  comment  on  this  grand  verse  than  the 
magnificent  closing  lines  of  Mr.  Myers'  great  poem  St.  Paul : — 

*Yea,  through  life,  death,  through  sorrow  and  through  sinning, 
He  shall  suffice  me,  for  he  hath  sufficed : 
Christ  is  the  end,  for  Christ  was  the  beginning ; 
Christ  the  beginning,  for  the  end  is  Christ.' 

22.  There  are  two  or  three  ways  of  understanding  the  main 
clauses  of  this  verse.  First,  that  given  in  the  text ;  secondly, 
that  of  the  margin.  '  But  if  to  live  in  the  flesh  be  tiiy  lot,  this  is  the 
fruit  of  my  work;  and  what  I  shall  choose  I  wot  not.'  If  this 
is  correct,  it  is  difficult  to  understand  the  omission  of  the  words 
supplied.  Lightfoot  would  make  the  first  clause  a  question  :  '  But 
what  if  my  living  in  the  flesh  is  to  bear  fruit  ? '  It  is  possible  on 
any  rendering  to  understand  '  What  shall  I  choose  ? '  as  an  abrupt 
question,  as  the  margin  of  the  R.  V.  indicates. 

I  wot  not  =  '  I  know  not.'  This  Old  English  form  is  common 
in  the  A.  V.  In  Anglo-Saxon  the  pres.  infin.  was  *  witan,'  pres. 
indie, '  wat,'  past  *  wiste,'  In  Old  English  the  forms  (used  in  A.  V.) 
were  '  wot '  and  '  wist '  respectively.  In  Gen.  xxiv.  21  we  have 
'  to  wit  whether' ;  in  Joshua  ii.  5,  '  I  wot  not,'  and  in  ii.  4,  '  I  wist 
not.'  Cf.  also  2  Cor.  viii.  i  and  Acts  iii.  17.  The  translation 
'  I  know  not '  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  N.  T.  usage  of  the 
original  word.  In  every  other  case  it  is  rendered  by  '  declare ' 
or  '  make  known,'  as  in  iv.  6  of  this  Epistle,  '  let  your  requests  be 
made  known.'  And  that  sense  is  perfectly  good  here,  indeed 
even  more  forcible.     The  R.  V.  margin  gives  it. 


TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS   1.  24-29  163 

for  it  is  very  far  better :    yet  to  abide  in  the  flesh  is  24 
more  needful  for  your  sake.    And  having  this  confidence,  25 
I  know  that  I  shall  abide,  yea,  and  abide  with  you  all, 
for  your  progress  and  joy  in  the  faith  ;  that  your  glorying  26 
may  abound  in  Christ  Jesus  in  me  through  my  presence 
with  you  again.     Only  let  your  manner  of  life  be  worthy  27 
of  the  gospel  of  Christ :  that,  whether  I  come  and  see 
you  or  be  absent,  I  may  hear  of  your  state,  that  ye  stand 
fast  in  one  spirit,  with  one  soul  striving  for  the  faith  of 
the  gospel ;  and  in  nothing  affrighted  by  the  adversaries  :  28 
which  is  for  them  an  evident  token  of  perdition,  but  of 
your  salvation,  and  that  from  God ;   because  to  you  it  29 
hath  been  granted  in  the  behalf  of  Christ,  not  only  to 

25.  abide.  The  first  verb  is  a  simple  and  the  second  a  compound 
form.  The  first  simply  speaks  of  continuance  in  life,  the  second 
of  fellowship  with  others.  The  latter  is  the  important  thought  in 
the  present  connexion. 

26.  g'lorying'  is  the  '  ground,'  not  the  '  act,'  of  glorying.  The 
sphere  is  important.  It  is  not  *  according  to  the  flesh '  (2  Cor. 
xi.  18)  *in  men'  (i  Cor.  iii.  21),  *  in  appearance'  (2  Cor.  v.  12), 
but  '  in  Christ  Jesus.' 

i.  27-30.  The  need  and  power  of  a  consistent  life  of  service  and  of 
suffering. 

2*7.  let  your  manner  of  life  be:  lit.  'be  citizens.'  For  the 
word  cf.  Acts  xxiii.  i  :  *  I  have  exercised  my  citizenship  with 
a  good  conscience.'  Paul  was  at  the  centre  of  the  great  Empire, 
and  had  more  clearly  before  him  than  ever  the  privileges  of 
a  Roman  citizen.  Philippi  was  a  '  colony,'  and  so  its  citizens 
would  easily  grasp  the  idea  underlying  the  word.     Cf.  iii.  20. 

in  one  spirit,  with  one  soul.  The  former  word  is  both  higher 
and  wider  than  the  latter.  The  '  spirit '  is  '  the  point  from  which 
the  whole  personality  is  moved  Godward'  (Vincent). 

striving*  for  the  faith  of  the  gospel.  Some  would  personify 
'  faith,'  and  understand  the  meaning  to  be  that  of  *  striving  in 
concert  with  faith ' ;  but  the  more  natural  interpretation  is  that 
of  the  text,  taking  *  faith '  in  its  widest  sense  as  embracing  the 
whole  manifestation  of  the  Christian  life. 

28.  token  of  perdition :  because  of  the  powerlessness  of  the 
adversaries  to  overthrow  the  Divine  work,  and  so  that  they  must 
be  destroyed  with  their  ineffective  works. 

M  2 


i64        TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS   1.  30—2.  6 

30  believe  on  him,  but  also  to  suffer  in  his  behalf:  having 
the  same  conflict  which  ye  saw  in  me,  and  now  hear  to 
be  in  me. 

2  If  there  is  therefore  any  comfort  in  Christ,  if  any 
consolation  of  love,  if  any  fellowship  of  the  Spirit,  if 

2  any  tender  mercies  and  compassions,  fulfil  ye  my  joy, 
that  ye  be  of  the  same  mind,  having  the  same  love, 

3  being  of  one  accord,  of  one  mind  ;  doi7ig  nothing  through 
faction  or  through  vainglory,  but  in  lowliness  of  mind 

4  each  counting  other  better  than  himself;  not  looking 
each  of  you  to  his  own  things,  but  each  of  you  also  to 

5  the  things  of  others.      Have  this  mind  in  you,  which 

6  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus :   who,  being  in  the  form  of 

29.  Suffering  brings  assurance  ;  cf.  Browning: — 

'  How  could  saints  and  martyrs  fail  see  truth 
Streak  the  night's  blackness  ? ' 

The  Ring  and  the  Book  (*  the  Pope'),  1.  1827. 

30.  now  hear :  from  this  letter  and  from  Epaphroditus. 

ii.  i-ii.  The  mind  of  Christ — seen  in  his  voluntary  humiliation — 
should  be  found  also  in  his  disciples. 

The  true  evidence  of  a  Christian  spirit  is  to  be  seen  in  the 
unanimity,  love,  and  humility  that  characterize  the  disciples,  for  this 
is  the  best  witness,  that  they  have  caught  the  mind  of  the  Master, 
who  for  their  sakes  willingly  stripped  himself  of  all  his  rightful 
glory,  and  stooped  even  to  the  cross  of  shame  for  their  sakes. 
From  the  cross  he  rose  to  higher  glory  and  universal  empire. 

1.  The  earnestness  of  the  appeal  seems  to  arise  from  the 
Apostle's  fear  of  internal  dissensions  (cf.  verse  14,  iv.  2,  5,  7). 

5.  What  is  pointed  to  is  obviously  both  Christ's  lowliness  and 
self-denial. 

6.  form  is  confessedly  an  inadequate  rendering  of  the  Greek 
word,  but  a  better  is  impossible  to  find.  The  word  denotes  an 
adequate  presentation  of  the  essential  nature  of  that  which  is 
represented.     It  occurs  again  in  the  next  verse. 

beingr  is  not  the  simple  verb  'to  be,'  though  often  used  as 
practically  equivalent  to  it.  The  rendering  of  the  margin  '  being 
originally '  is  only  sometimes  the  meaning  of  the  word. 

The  majority  of  modern  commentators  render,  *  did  not  reckon 
existence  in  the  way  of  equality  with  God  a  thing  to  be  greedily 
clutched.' 


TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS  2.  7-10  165 

God,  counted  it  not  a  prize  to  be  on  an  equality  with 
God,  but  emptied  himself,  taking  the  form  of  a  servant,    7 
being  made  in  the  likeness  of  men ;   and  being  found   8 
in  fashion  as  a  man,   he  humbled   himself,   becoming 
obedient  even  unto  death,  yea,  the  death  of  the  cross. 
Wherefore  also  God  highly  exalted  him,  and  gave  unto   9 
him  the  name  which  is  above  every  name ;  that  in  the  lo 


7.  emptied  Mmself.  The  Greek  word  for  '  emptied'  (ekenose) 
is  that  from  which  the  technical  theological  term '  Kenosis '  comes ; 
and  out  of  this  passage,  almost  out  of  this  word,  has  been  built  up 
a  theory  of  the  human  personality  of  Christ.  It  seems  very 
doubtful  whether  any  such  subtle  meaning  was  in  the  mind  of 
the  writer  when  he  used  the  word,  and  certainly  it  has  been 
frequently  overstrained.  As  a  correlative  to  this  passage  see 
Col.  i.  18-20  and  ii.  9.  The  whole  immediate  purport  of  this 
passage  is  that  of  practical  exhortation.  The  A.  V.  *  made  himself 
of  no  reputation  '  is  a  marvellous  instance  of  the  occasional  fitness 
of  a  paraphrase  unwarranted  by  the  original.  It  sums  up  the 
earthly  life  of  Christ  in  an  unforgettable  phrase. 

likeness.  It  is  noteworthy  that  the  word  '  form '  is  not  here 
repeated — and  it  is  only  his  resemblance  to  men  that  is  asserted. 
*To  affirm  likeness  is  at  once  to  assert  similarity  and  to  deny 
sameness'  (Dickson,  Baird  Lect.,  1883). 

8.  fashion  is  also  a  word  that  refers  to  the  outward.  The 
difference  between  form  and  fashion  is  evidenced  in  such  com- 
pounds as  in  Rom.  viii.  29,  '  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  son ' ; 
iii.  10  of  this  Epistle,  *  conformed  unto  his  death ' ;  contrasted  with 
I  Pet.  i.  14,  'not  fashioning  (a  compound  verb)  yourselves  accord- 
ing to  your  former  lusts.' 

9.  gave:  cf.  verse  6  above.  He  received  as  a  gift  what  he 
refused  to  clutch  as  a  prize. 

tlie  name.  Many  explanations  are  offered,  but  none  is 
decisive.  Some  say  'Jesus,'  others  '  Lord,*  others  '  Son,*  others 
'Jesus  Christ,'  while  Lightfoot  holds  it  simply  means  'dignity.* 
It  has  been  supposed  that  there  is  a  reference  to  the  custom  of 
bestowing  new  names  at  crises  of  individuals'  history,  as  in  the 
cases  of  Abraham  and  Israel;  cf.  also  Rev.  ii.  17  and  iii.  12. 

10.  in  the  name.  As  in  the  O.  T.  usage  the  '  name '  covers  the 
whole  person,  so  this  phrase  implies  a  whole-hearted  allegiance 
to  Jesus.  Deissmann  finds  the  same  phrase  used  in  the  oath  of 
fealty  to  the  emperor'. 

^  Bible  Studies,  p.  197. 


i66  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS  2.  11-15 

name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of  things  in 
heaven  and  things  on  earth  and  things  under  the  earth, 

II  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father. 

13  So  then,  my  beloved,  even  as  ye  have  always  obeyed, 
not  as  in  my  presence  only,  but  now  much  more  in  my 
absence,  work  out  your   own  salvation  with  fear   and 

13  trembling;  for  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you  both  to 

14  will  and  to  work,  for  his  good  pleasure.     Do  all  things 

15  without  murmurings  and  disputings;  that  ye  may  be 
blameless  and  harmless,  children  of  God  without  blemish 

things  in  heaven,  &c.  As  will  be  noticed  from  the  italics, 
it  is  a  question  whether  these  adjectives  are  to  be  rendered  as 
masculine  or  neuter.  They  may  denote  *  beings '  as  correctly  as 
'things.'  Lightfoot  upholds  the  latter  rendering  as  being  more 
universal.  If  'beings  under  the  earth'  be  the  rendering,  the 
reference  may  be  to  the  departed  in  Hades. 

11.  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father  is  dependent  on  '  confess.' 

ii.  12-18.  How  to  live  as  God's  luminanes.     PauVsjoy. 

The  inward  spirit  and  outward  conduct  of  those  who  as  God's 
luminaries  are  to  light  the  world's  darkness.  The  Apostle's 
honour  and  joy.  The  Philippians  are  to  manifest  even  greater 
care,  when  the  Apostle  is  absent  from  them,  in  obeying  the 
Divine  will  and  co-operating  with  the  Divine  Spirit.  Thus 
shall  their  witness  prove  effective  in  the  world,  and  bring  joy 
to  Paul's  heart,  even  if  it  mean  for  him  the  martyr's  crown. 

12.  So  then.  The  obedience  of  Christ,  named  in  verse  8,  is 
to  find  its  reflex  in  them. 

13.  Here  also  there  is  an  analogy  with  the  life  of  Christ.  He 
did  '  the  will  of  the  Father.' 

his  g-ood  pleasure  is  to  be  understood  of  His  Fatherly  love 
and  tenderness. 

14.  disputings.  Where  the  word  is  used  elsewhere  by  Paul 
it  is  rendered  by  *  reasonings,'  generally  of  a  disputatious  nature 
(cf.  Rom.  i.  21,  xiv.  i ;  i  Cor.  iii.  20) — perhaps  criticisms  of 
a  captious  character. 

15.  16.  Cf.  Matt.  v.  14-16,  and  Browning,  Muleykeh. 

*  God  gives  each  man  one  life,  like  a  lamp,  then  gives 
That  lamp  due  measure  of  oil :  lamp  lighted — hold  high,  wave  wide 
Its  comfort  for  others  to  share ! ' 


TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS   2.   16-22  167 

in   the   midst   of  a   crooked   and    perverse  generation, 
among  whom  ye  are  seen  as  h'ghts  in  the  world,  holding  16 
forth  the  word  of  life  ;  that  I  may  have  whereof  to  glory 
in  the  day  of  Christ,  that  I  did  not  run  in  vain  neither 
labour  in  vain.     Yea,  and   if  I   am   offered   upon   the  17 
sacrifice  and  service  of  your  faith,  I  joy,  and  rejoice  with 
you  all:   and  in  the  same  manner  do  ye  also  joy,  and  18 
rejoice  with  me. 

But  I  hope  in  the  Lord  Jesus  to  send  Timothy  shortly  19 
unto  you,  that  I  also  may  be  of  good   comfort,  when 
I  know  your  state.     For  I  have  no  man  likeminded,  who  20 
will  care  truly  for  your  state.     For  they  all  seek   their  21 
own,  not  the  things  of  Jesus  Christ.     But  ye  know  the  22 

run  .  .  .  labour.  The  former  (^cf.  Gal.  ii.  2)  is  certainly 
a  metaphor  from  the  athlete's  life,  and  Lightfoot  thinks  the 
second  word  refers  also  to  the  severity  of  'training.* 

17.  oflfered.  The  correct  rendering  is  given  in  the  margin 
'  poured  out  as  a  drink-offering,'  and  is  derived  from  the  ritual 
of  heathen  sacrifice, 

upon  may  also  be  rendered  '  in  addition  to.' 
Lightfoot's  explanation  of  the  passage  makes  the  Philippians 
the  priests,  offering  their  faith  to  God,  on  which  sacrifice  it  is 
probable  Paul's  blood  will  be  poured  as  a  libation.  This  seems 
far  better  than  the  ordinary  one  which  sees  in  Paul  the  priest, 
and  in  his  apostolic  activity  the  ministry,  while  he  will  pour  out 
his  own  blood  on  the  sacrifice  he  offers. 

rejoice  with.  Some  render  'congratulate,'  a  meaning  which 
the  word  does  bear,  but  which  does  not  seem  suitable  here. 

18.  1  here  is  a  close  parallel  between  this  passage  and  one  in 
the  Epistle  of  Ignatius  to  the  Romans,  where  he  writes,  *  Nay, 
grant  me  nothing  more  than  that  I  be  poured  out  a  libation  to  God, 
while  there  is  still  an  altar  ready ;  that  forming  yourselves  into 
a  chorus  in  love  ye  may  sing  to  the  Father  in  Jesus  Christ.' 

ii.  19-24.  Probable  visit  of  Timothy,  his  commendation—  and 
PanVs  hope  to  follow  in  person. 

20.  truly  :  *  naturally,'  as  a  parent  does.  Timothy  would  have 
such  a  feeling,  as  he  was  associated  with  Paul  in  founding  the 
church. 

21.  they  all.  The  charge  is  sweeping,  but  we  cannot  explain 
it,  or  discover  who  v^cre  embraced  in  it. 


i68  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS  2.  23-30 

proof  of  him,  that,  as  a  child   s€?-veih   a   father,  so  he 

23  served  with  me  in  furtherance  of  the  gospel.  Him 
therefore  I  hope  to  send  forthwith,  so  soon  as  I  shall  see 

24  how  it  will  go  with  me :  but  I  trust  in  the  Lord  that 

25  I  myself  also  shall  come  shortly.  But  I  counted  it 
necessary  to  send  to  you  Epaphroditus,  my  brother  and 
fellow-worker  and  fellow-soldier,  and  your  messenger  and 

26  minister  to  my  need;  since  he  longed  after  you  all, 
and  was  sore  troubled,  because  ye  had  heard  that  he  was 

27  sick  :  for  indeed  he  was  sick  nigh  unto  death :  but  God 
had  mercy  on  him;   and  not  on  him  only,  but  on  me 

28  also,  that  I  might  not  have  sorrow  upon  sorrow.  I  have 
sent  him  therefore  the  more  diligently,  that,  when  ye  see 
him  again,  ye  may  rejoice,  and  that  I  may  be  the  less 

29  sorrowful.     Receive  him  therefore  in  the  Lord  with  all 

30  joy ;  and  hold  such  in  honour  :  because  for  the  work  of 
Christ    he    came    nigh   unto  death,  hazarding   his   life 

22.  with  me.  We  might  have  expected  'me,'  but  probably 
Paul's  sense  of  comradeship,  and  still  more  the  thought  of  the 
Father  whom  they  both  serve,  altered  the  language. 

ii.  25-30.  Suffering  and  mission  of  Epaphroditus. 

The  immediate  mission  of  Epaphroditus,  who  has  suffered  much 
in  Christ's  service,  and  in  fulfilling  their  commission. 

25.  Epaphroditus  was  probably  the  bearer  of  the  letter.  He 
is  mentioned  only  here,  unless  the  form  Epaphras  (Col.  i.  7  and 
iv.  12)  be  a  contraction  of  the  name,  and  the  two  be  identical, 
which  is  most  improbable.  It  is  not  at  all  likely  that  a  Colossian 
should  be  a  messenger  of  the  Philippian  church.  The  name  was 
a  common  one. 

messenger,  i.  e.  '  apostle,'  is  not  used  here  in  its  official  sense. 

28.  more  diligfently  :    '  with  the  greater  speed.' 

the  less  sorrowful.    A  pathetic  phrase,  shewing  that  many 
troubles  still  remain  Paul's  portion. 

30.  nigli  unto  death.  The  original  is  not  the  same  as  that 
in  verse  27,  which  is  more  correctly  rendered  '  was  sick  in  a  way 
nearly  resembling  death ' — the  form  is  very  pecuUar,  and  may  be 
due  to  Luke. 

hazarding.    A  genuine  gambler's  word.   The  word  from  which 


TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS  3.  1-3  169 

to  supply  that  which  was  lacking  in  your  service 
toward  me. 

Finally,  my  brethren,  rejoice  in  the  Lord.     To  write  3 
the  same  things  to  you,  to  me  indeed  is  not  irksome,  but 
for  you  it  is  safe.     Beware  of  the  dogs,  beware  of  the  2 
evil  workers,  beware  of  the  concision :  for  we  are   the  3 

it  is  derived,  meaning  '  reckless,'  gave  the  name  to  the  voluntary 
visitors  to  the  sick  in  the  early  church,  who  are  well  described 
in  Kingsley's  Hypatia,  chap.  v.  Paul  may  have  had  the  idea 
suggested  by  seeing  the  soldiers  play  at  dice,  which  latter  word 
he  uses  in  Eph.  iv.   14,  rendered  *  sleight '  in  our  version.     The 

*  not  regarding '  of  the  A.  V.  comes  from  a  reading  of  several 
MSS.  which  alters  the  Greek  word  by  the  insertion  of  one  letter. 

iii.  i\   '■Rejoiced 

These  words  stand  alone.  Whether  we  are  to  say  that  Paul 
meant  now  to  end  the  letter  or  not,  they  have  no  connexion 
with  what  either  immediately  precedes  or  follows  them. 

Finally:  lit.  *  as  to  what  remains.'     This  may  either  mean 

*  finally '(cf.  2  Cor.  xiii.  11),  'henceforth '  (cf.  Mark  xiv.  41  Gr.),  or 
'besides'  (cf.  i  Thess.  iv.  i).  It  seems  to  have  been  used  by  Paul 
as  a  connective  when  passing  on  to  some  new  subject.  It  cannot, 
in  itself,  be  taken  as  a  certain  indication  that  he  meant  to  close 
his  letter  forthwith  (cf.  Eph.  vi.  10  and  note). 

iii.  1*^-3.     A  warm'ng  against  false  teachers. 

To  write  the  same  thing's.  This  seems  to  refer  to  the 
contents  of  a  letter  or  letters,  which  we  do  not  possess.  Polycarp 
in  his  letter  to  the  Philippians  refers  to  Paul's  'letter'  or  'letters.' 
The  word  is  in  the  plural,  but  the  usage  is  not  sufficiently  determined 
to  enable  us  to  decide  whether  this  denotes  one  letter  or  more. 
There  can,  I  think,  be  Httle  question  that  Paul  wrote  many 
more  letters  than  we  possess  (see  i  Cor.  v.  9  ;  2  Cor.  x.  10,  11  ; 
2  Thess.  ii.  15,  iii.  17,  and  verse  18  of  this  chapter,  and  notes  there), 
and  therefore  there  can  be  no  real  difficulty  in  seeing  here  a 
reference  to  one  of  these. 

2.  Beware  of :  '  look  out  for.'  The  verb  simply  means 'behold,' 
but  with  a  note  of  caution. 

dog's  was  a  general  term  of  contempt  with  Jew  and  Gentile, 
and  denoted  generally  shamelessness  and  uncleanness. 

concision.  The  word  is  not  used  elsewhere  in  Scripture. 
It  signifies  that  the  mere  observance  of  the  rite  of  circumcision, 
without  a  corresponding  faith  and  inward  obedience,  was  no 
better  than  an  act  of  physical  mutilation  (cf.  Gal.  v.  12  and  note). 


170  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS  3.  4-7 

circumcision,  who  worship  by  the  Spirit   of  God,    and 
glory  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence   in    the 

4  flesh  :  though  I  myself  might  have  confidence  even  in 
the  flesh  :  if  any  other  man  thinketh  to  have  confidence 

5  in  the  flesh,  I  yet  more :  circumcised  the  eighth  day, 
of   the   stock   of  Israel,   of  the  tribe   of  Benjamin,  a 

6  Hebrew  of  Hebrews  ;  as  touching  the  law,  a  Pharisee  ;  as 
touching  zeal,  persecuting  the  church ;  as  touching 
the  righteousness  which  is  in  the  law,  found  blameless. 

7  Howbeit   what   things   were   gain  to  me,  these  have  I 

iii.  4-6.  Paul 's  possibilities  of  carnal  boastiug  in  the  light  0/ legalism. 

4.  In  this  passage  Paul  emphasizes  what  he  has  sacrificed. 
He  knows  the  price  he  paid.  He  had  all  the  things  those  men 
count  valuable  in  a  pre-eminent  degree.  The  words  are  stronger 
than  the  translation  shews,  '  I  myself  having  confidence.'  He  puts 
himself  back  in  thought  to  the  days  before  his  conversion 
(cf.Gal.  ii.  15). 

5.  circumcised    the    eighth    day:    in    accordance   with   the 
.original  covenant   (Gen.    xvii.  12),  while  an  Ishmaelite  was  cir- 
cumcised in  his  thirteenth  year  (Gen.  xvii.  25). 

of  the  stock  of  Israel:  the  premier  tribe,  the  God-given 
name  (Gen.  xxxii.  28)  of  whose  founder  had  become  the  name  of 
the  nation. 

of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  Benjamin  was  the  son  of  Jacob's 
favourite  wife  ;  and  from  this  tribe  arose  the  first  king,  whose  royal 
name  Paul  himself  had  borne.  This  tribe  led  the  vanguard  of  the 
army,  and  inspired  the  battle-cry,  'After  thee,  Benjamin'  (see 
Judges  v.  14). 

a  Hebrew  of  Hebrews :  a  man  of  unmixed  stock.  He  had 
been  brought  up  speaking  the  sacred  tongue. 

6.  blameless :  i.  e.  according  to  human  standards. 

iii.  7-14.  All  fades  save  Christ,  and  life  in  Christ  is  the  one  great 
goal. 

All  things  formerly  prized  sink  into  insignificance  alongside 
Christ,  to  be  found  in  whom,  and  to  be  indued  with  his  righteous- 
ness is  the  one  worthy  end  in  life.  Paul  will  strive  through 
fellowship  with  his  death  to  attain  a  share  in  his  resurrection. 
Such  a  life  is  one  continual  race  in  which  he  is  uphold  by  the 
hand  of  him  whose  side  he  is  seeking  to  attain. 

7.  gain :  rather  '  gains,'  as  in  the  margin,  reckoning  the 
individual  items  in  the  above  list.  This  also  emphasizes  the  contrast 
of  the  word  *  loss.' 


TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS  3.  8-12  171 

counted  loss  for  Christ.     Yea  verily,  and    I    count   all   8 
things  to  be  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  Jesus  my  Lord :  for  whom  I  suffered  the  loss  of 
all  things,  and  do  count  them  but  dung,  that  I  may  gain 
Christ,  and  be  found  in  him,  not  having  a  righteousness   9 
of  mine  own,  even  that  which  is  of  the   law,  but  that 
which  is  through  faith  in  Christ,  the  righteousness  which 
is  of  God  by  faith :    that  I    may    know   him,    and   the  10 
power   of  his   resurrection,   and   the   fellowship   of  his 
sufferings,  becoming  conformed  unto  his  death ;   if  by  1 1 
any  means  I  may  attain  unto  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead.     Not  that  I  have  already  obtained,  or  am  already  1 2 
made  perfect :    but  I  press  on,    if  so   be   that   I   may 
apprehend  that  for  which  also  I  was   apprehended   by 

8.  duns'.  The  word  has  either  this  meaning,  or  designates 
'  leavings  of  the  table.'  In  any  case  '■  refuse,'  as  the  margin  reads, 
covers  the  idea. 

9.  in  hiiu  :  cf.  the  frequent  usage  of  '  in  Christ'  in  Ephesians. 
If  there  could  be  such  a  thing  as  a  righteousness  springing  from 

legal  obedience  he  discards  it. 

toy  faith,:  rather,  'resting  upon  faith.' 

10.  the  power  of  his  resurrection :  as  an  inward  experience 
(cf.  Col.  iii.  1-4  ;  Eph.  ii.  5,  6),  as  is  also  *  the  fellowship  of  his 
sufferings '  (cf.  Col.  i.  24). 

toecomiug-  conformed  unto  his  death.  The  phrase  indicates 
a  process.     For  the  thought  cf.  1  Cor.  xv.  31  ;  2  Cor.  iv.  10. 

11.  resurrection.  The  word  used  is  an  unusual  compound  of 
the  ordinary  one,  but  no  special  shade  of  meaning  can  be  attached 
to  it. 

12.  Fully  expressed  the  words  would  read,  *  I  say  not  that 
I  have  already  obtained.*  Many  answers  have  been  given  to  the 
question,  *  What  is  it  that  he  has  not  obtained  ? '  The  most  satis- 
factory reply  is,  '■  All  that  the  preceding  verses  describe,'  which 
is  more  clearly  stated  in  the  words,  '  or  am  already  made  perfect.' 

I  press  on:  lit.  '  pursue,'  so  that  the  A.  V.  '  follow  after'  is 
better  than  the  R.  V. 

apprehend.  The  reading  of  the  American  Revisers,  *  laj'  hold 
on  .  .  .  laid  hold  on,'  is  better,  as  it  escapes  the  ambiguity  of  the 
word  '  apprehend.' 

I  was  apprehended  refers  to  his  conversion.  The  tense  of 
the  original  marks  a  definite  and  single  act. 


172         TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS  3.  13-15 

13  Christ  Jesus.  Brethren,  I  count  not  myself  yet  to  have 
apprehended  :  but  one  thing  /  do^  forgetting  the  things 
which  are  behind,  and  stretching  forward  to  the  things 

14  which  are  before,  I  press  on  toward  the  goal  unto  the 

15  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.  Let  us 
therefore,  as  many  as  be  perfect,  be  thus  minded  :  and 

The  rendering  of  the  margin,  '  if  so  be  that  I  may  apprehend, 
seeing  that  also  I  was  apprehended,'  is  the  interpretation  of  many, 
while  some  prefer  '  wherefore  '  instead  of  '  seeing  that.' 

13.  yet.  The  MS.  evidence  for  theomission  of 'yet' is  verystrong. 
stretching  forward  is  a  graphic  word   from  the   foot-race 

(cf.  our  modern  sporting  phrase  '  the  home-stretch  ').  The  attitude 
is  well  represented  in  a  familiar  Greek  statue  of  the  racer.  Bengel 
puts  the  idea  well :  *  The  ej'e  outstrips  and  draws  onward  the 
hand,  and  the  hand  the  foot.' 

14.  goal.  The  word  in  the  original  is  not  the  technical  one  for 
the  *  goal,'  but  means  a  '  mark ' — that  on  which  the  eye  is  bent. 

prize.  The  verb  formed  from  the  word  in  the  original  is 
found  in  Col.  ii.  18,  iii.  15,  where  see  notes. 

Mgh  calling :  rather,  *  upward.'  It  marks  the  continual 
upward  movement  of  the  Christian  life — the  future  to  which  God 
is  ever  summoning.  With  reference  to  this  Divine  voice  the 
words  of  Tennyson  might  well  be  used  : — 

*  He,  that  ever  following  her  commands. 
On  with  toil  of  heart  and  knees  and  hands. 
Thro'  the  long  gorge  to  the  far  light  has  won 
His  path  upward,  and  prevailed. 
Shall  find  the  toppling  crags  of  duty  scaled 
Are  close  upon  the  shining  table-lands 
To  which  our  God  Himself  is  moon  and  sun  ^' 

iii.  15 — iv.  I.      The  conduct  of  citizens  of  the  heavenly  city. 

The  spirit  just  described  is  that  which  should  mark  all  Christians, 
and  wherever  uncertaint}'  exists  God  will  make  the  way  clear. 
Some  shame  their  profession,  but  have  no  real  part  in  its  privileges. 
Heaven  is  the  true  disciple's  home — his  heart  is  set  on  the  presence 
of  its  Lord,  whose  glory  he  will  share,  therefore  steadfastness  is 
the  hall-mark  of  the  kingdom. 

15.  perfect.  In  verse  12  the  Apostle  had  spoken  of  himself  as 
*  not  yet  made  perfect.'  The  word  seems  to  convey  the  idea  of 
those  who  are  sincerely  seeking  the  Christian  perfection  their 
Lord  enjoined  (Matt.  v.  48),  accepting  that  as  their  goal.  Some 
understand  it  as  'advanced  in  Christian  experience.*    It  is  used  in 

^  Ode  on  the  Death  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington^ 


TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS  3.   16-21  173 

if  in  anything  ye  are  otherwise  minded,  even  this  shall 
God  reveal  unto  you :  only,  whereunto  we  have  already  16 
attained,  by  that  same  rule  let  us  walk. 

Brethren,  be  ye  imitators  together  of  me,  and  mark  17 
them  which  so  walk  even  as  ye  have  us  for  an  ensample. 
For  many  walk,  of  whom  I  told  you  often,  and  now  tell  iS 
you  even  weeping,  that  they  are  the  enemies  of  the  cross 
of  Christ:   whose  end  is   perdition,  whose  god  is  the  19 
belly,  and  whose  glory   is   in   their   shame,    who   mind 
earthly  things.     For  our  citizenship  is  in  heaven  ;  from  20 
whence   also   we   wait   for  a   Saviour,    the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ:  who  shall  fashion  anew  the  body  of  our  humilia-  21 

the  sense  of  'mature'  in  i  Cor.  ii.  6,  and  of  absolute  perfection  of 
nature  in  Matt.  v.  48. 

Here  we  have  another  beautiful  instance  of  Paul's  perfect 
courtesy,  as  well  as  humility,  in  associating  himself  with  those 
to  whom  he  is  writing  in  this  exhortation. 

ye  are  otherwise  minded.  This  covers  a  very  wide  possi- 
bility of  difference,  ignoi"ance,  or  uncertainty  in  any  matter  of 
thought  or  conduct. 

16.  Conduct  must  keep  pace  with  knowledge. 

18.  many.  We  do  not  know  whom.  Most  understand  the 
reference  to  be  to  nominal  Christians  of  immoral  life,  some 
to  Judaizens,  and  one  or  two  of  the  latest  commentators  to  the 
heathen,  since  they  consider  the  Philippian  church  too  pure 
to  have  such  blots  on  its  fellowship. 

often :  either  by  word  of  mouth  or  in  former  letters  (see 
verse  i  and  note). 

19.  whose  g-od  is  the  belly:  Epicures,  who  'lived  to  eat' 
(cf.  Rom.  xvi.  18  ;  2  Pet.  ii.  13). 

20.  citizenship  is  in  heaven  actually  as  well  as  ideally. 
a  Saviour:  rather,  'as  Saviour.* 

21.  fashion  anew.  The  fashion  is  to  be  different,  but  the 
identity  is  to  remain.     Cf.  i  Cor.  xv,  35-38. 

body  of  humiliation.    A  phrase  descriptive  of  its   present 
weakness   and  imperfection,   but   not    contemptuous,   as   in    the 
erroneous  translation  of  the  A.  V.     Cf.  T.  H.  Gill : — 
*  O  mighty  grace,  our  life  to  live 
To  make  our  earth  divine  ! 
O  mighty  grace,  thy  heavens  to  give. 
And  lift  our  life  to  Thine.' 


174  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS  4.  1-6 

tion,  that  it  may  be  conformed  to  the  body  of  his  glory, 
according  to  the  working  whereby  he  is   able  even   to 
subject  all  things  unto  himself. 
4      Wherefore,  my  brethren  beloved  and  longed  for,  my 
joy  and  crown,  so  stand  fast  in  the  Lord,  my  beloved. 

2  I  exhort  Euodia,  and  I  exhort  Syntyche,  to  be  of  the 

3  same  mind  in  the  Lord.  Yea,  I  beseech  thee  also,  true 
yokefellow,  help  these  women,  for  they  laboured  with 
me  in  the  gospel,  with  Clement  also,  and  the  rest  of  my 
fellow-workers,  whose  names  are  in  the  book  of  life. 

4  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway :  again  I  will  say,  Rejoice. 

5  Let  your  forbearance  be  known   unto   all   men.      The 

6  Lord  is  at  hand.     In  nothing  be  anxious  ;  but  in  every- 

to  subject  all  tMngs :  cf.  Eph.  i.  22. 
iv.  1.  wherefore  :  in  view  of  all  that  has  been  stated  in  chap.  iii. 
longed  for.    Another  pathetic  word  in  which  we  may  catch 
the  passion  of  grief  caused  by  separation. 

iv.  2,  3.     Counsels  of  reconciliation. 

Euodia  and  Syntyche  are  both  fairly  common  names  of  women. 
Acts  xvii.  4-12  shew  how  the  women  of  Macedonia  received  the 
gospel. 

3.  true  yokefellow.  Many  attempts  have  been  made  to  identify 
this  person.  Lightfoot  supposes  it  to  be  Epaphroditus  ;  but  if  he 
was  the  bearer  of  the  letter  it  was  most  unlikely  to  address  him 
thus  in  it,  and  still  more  so,  if  he  was  not  to  follow  till  later. 
Other  names  suggested  are  purely  conjectural.  Some  would 
understand  it  of  Paul's  wife,  and  Renan  of  Lydia,  but  the  adjective 
is  masculine.  The  best  suggestion  seems  to  be  that  which  reads 
the  Greek  word  rendered  '  yokefellow '  as  a  proper  name,  trans- 
lating, '  I  beseech  thee  also,  Synzygus,  who  art  rightly  so  named.' 
Such  descriptive  or  punning  names  were  common,  e.  g.  Onesimus 
(profitable),  Onesiphorus  (help-bearer\  Chrestus  (excellent). 

laboured:  cf.  i.  27.  The  word  implies  share  in  risk  and 
suffering. 

book  of  life.  Elsewhere  the  phrase  occurs  in  the  N,  T.  only 
in  the  Book  of  Revelation,  where  it  is  frequent.  Its  origin  is  in 
the  language  of  the  O.  T.  ;  cf.  Exod.  xxxii.  32,  33  ;  see  also 
Luke  X.   20. 

iv.  4-9.      Various  exhortations  and  benedictions. 

C.  For  similar  exhortations  see  Eph.  vi.  18,  v.  20,  and  Col.  i.  3. 


TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS   4.  7-9  175 

thing  by  prayer  and  supplication  with  thanksgiving  let 
your   requests   be   made   known   unto   God.     And  the  7 
peace  of  God,  which  passeth   all   understanding,  shall 
guard  your  hearts  and  your  thoughts  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Finally,  brethren,  whatsoever  things  are  true,  whatso-  8 
ever  things  are  honourable,  whatsoever  things  are  just, 
whatsoever  things  are  pure,  whatsoever  things  are  lovely, 
whatsoever  things  are  of  good  report ;  if  there  be  any 
virtue,  and  if  there  be  any  praise,  think  on  these  things. 
The  things  which  ye  both  learned  and  received  and  9 
heard  and  saw  in  me,  these  things  do :  and  the  God  of 
peace  shall  be  with  you. 

7.  peace  of  God:  cf.  Col.  iii.  15,  though  this  phrase  only 
occurs  here  in  N.  T. 

which  passeth  is  rather  'surpasseth  every  thought,'  the 
contrast  apparently  being  between  the  conflicting  turmoil  of 
human  reasoning  and  the  quiet  atmosphere  of  trust  in  the  Divine 
guidance.  This  seems  a  much  more  satisfactory  interpretation 
than  the  ordinary  one,  which  sees  in  the  words  a  mere  statement 
that  the  peace  of  God  is  something  the  human  mind  cannot  grasp. 
This  would  not  be  helpful,  while  the  other  is  eminently  practical 
and  in  conformity  with  the  context. 

shall  guard.  The  metaphor  is  military.  Vincent  quotes 
appropriately  Tennyson's  In  Memoriam,  stanza  cxxvi  : — 

*  Love  is  and  was  my  king  and  lord. 
And  will  be,  though  as  yet  I  keep 
Within  his  court  on  earth,  and  sleep 
Encompassed  by  his  faithful  guard. 

And  hear  at  times  a  sentinel 

Who  moves  about  from  place  to  place, 
And  whispers  to  the  worlds  of  space. 

In  the  deep  night,  that  all  is  well.' 

8.  honourable:  better  'reverend'  of  the  margin — the  things 
that  inspire  reverence.  Matthew  Arnold's  rendering  'nobly 
serious'  is  good. 

pure  in  the  widest  possible  relation. 

of  good  report :  lit.  *  fair-sounding ' — things  that  are  essenti- 
ally worthy. 

think  on :  rather,  *  carefully  estimate  the  value  of.' 


176  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS  4.  10-15 

10  But  I  rejoice  in  the  Lord  greatly,  that  now  at  length 
ye  have  revived  your  thought  for  me  ;   wherein  ye  did 

11  indeed  take  thought,  but  ye  lacked  opportunity.  Not 
that  I  speak  in  respect  of  want :  for  I  have  learned,  in 

12  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therein  to  be  content.  I  know 
how  to  be  abased,  and  I  know  also  how  to  abound  :  in 
everything  and  in  all  things  have  I  learned  the  secret 
both  to  be  filled  and  to  be  hungry,  both  to  abound  and 

13  to  be  in  want.     I  can  do  all  things  in  him  that  strength- 

14  eneth  me.     Howbeit  ye  did  well,  that  ye  had  fellowship 

15  with  my  affliction.  And  ye  yourselves  also  know,  ye 
Philippians,  that  in  the  beginning  of  the  gospel,  when  I 
departed  from  Macedonia,  no  church  had  fellowship 
with  me  in  the  matter  of  giving  and  receiving,  but  ye 

iv.  10-20.    Praise  of  generosity.    Prayer  for  reward.    Benediction. 

Praise  of  the  Philippians'  generosity.  Statement  of  his  own 
self-sufficiency  in  Christ.  Prayer  for  their  being  recompensed  of 
God,  and  benediction. 

10.  ye  have  revived.  The  image  contained  in  the  original 
word  is  that  of  a  tree  putting  forth  fresh  shoots  in  spring. 

11.  in  respect  of  want.  Lightfoot's  paraphrase  is  good,  'in 
language  dictated  by  want.* 

in  whatsoever  state  is  better  rendered  '  in  all  the  circum- 
stances of  the  present  state.' 

content:  'self-sufficing.'  A  favourite  word  in  the  Stoic 
philosophy.     Paul's  self-sufficiency  has  a  source  outside  himself. 

12.  to  aboTuid:  i.e.  'to  have  abundance,'  not  'to  have  too 
much.' 

14.  Again  his  courtesy  is  evident,  lest  by  speaking  of  his  self- 
sufficiency  he  should  seem  to  despise  their  gifts. 

well:  better,  'ye  did  nobly.'  The  deed  was  not  only 
generous  but  lovely. 

had  fellowship  with :  *  went  shares  with '  (Lightfoot) ;  cf. 
Gal.  vi.  6.  This  was  the  old  sense  of  '  communicate '  (A.  V.),  and 
Vincent  quotes  Ben  Jonson,  *  thousands  that  communicate  our 
loss.' 

15.  In  the  matter  of:  'as  to  an  account  of.*  The  metaphor 
is  a  mercantile  one.  They  had  '  opened  an  account  *  of  generosity 
with  him,  of  which  their  giving  is  the  '  credit '  and  his  receiving 
the  '  debt '  side  respectively.     See  below,  verse  17. 


TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS  4.  16-23  i77 

only ;  for  even  in  Thessalonica  ye  sent  once  and  again  16 
unto  my  need.     Not  that  I  seek  for  the  gift ;  but  I  seek  r; 
for  the  fruit  that  increaseth  to  your  account.     But  I  have  18 
all  things,  and   abound :    I  am  filled,  having   received 
from  Epaphroditus  the  things  that  came  from  you,   an 
odour   of  a   sweet    smell,    a   sacrifice   acceptable,  well- 
pleasing  to  God.     And  my  God  shall  fulfil  every  need  of  19 
yours  according  to  his  riches  in  glory  in  Christ  Jesus. 
Now  unto  our  God  and  Father  be  the  glory  for  ever  and  20 
ever.     Amen. 

Salute  every  saint  in  Christ  Jesus.  The  brethren  sr 
which  are  with  me  salute  you.  All  the  saints  salute  22 
you,  especially  they  that  are  of  Caesar's  household. 

The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  your  spirit.  23 

16.  in  Thessalonica:  cf.  Acts  xvii.  1-9. 

17.  account:  carrying  on  the  idea  of  verse  15,  Perhaps  also 
*  fruit '  may  be  understood  as  '  interest,'  as  the  word  is  not  un- 
commonly employed  in  that  sense. 

18.  But.  '  And '  is  a  more  suitable  rendering  of  the  con- 
nective here. 

a  sacrifice :  i.  e.  *  the  thing  sacrificed.* 

19.  in  g'lory  is  much  better  connected  with  the  verb  'shall 
fulfil.'  'My  God  shall  gloriously  fulfil  every  need.'  The  usage 
of  the  Greek  is  against  the  common  rendering. 

iv.  21-23.     Salutations  and  closing  benediction, 

21.  This  may  be  a  direction  to  the  readers  of  the  letter,  prob- 
ably the  officials  of  the  church  (i.  i). 

22.  Csssar's  household  includes  all  the  dependants  of  the 
palace,  whatever  their  rank.  Some  of  these  may  be  named  in 
Rom.  xvi ;  see  notes  there. 


(8)  N 


APPENDIX  A 

THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  LAODICEANS. 
A  Translation. 

Paul,  an  Apostle,  not  of  men  nor  by  man,  but  by  Jesus  Christ, 
to  the  brethren  who  are  at  Laodicea  :  Grace  to  you  and  peace 
from  God  our  Father,  and  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

I  thank  my  God  in  every  prayer  of  mine  because  ye  are  abiding 
steadfast  in  Him,  and  persevering  in  His  works,  looking  for  the 
promise  in  the  day  of  judgement.  Neither  let  the  vain  words  of 
some  deceive  you,  who  introduce  another  teaching  that  they  may 
turn  you  aw^ay  from  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  which  is  preached  by 
me.  And  now  God  will  bring  it  to  pass,  that  my  affairs  (or 
persons)  [turn  out  to]  the  furthering  of  the  Gospel,  and  are  acting 
and  producing  the  graciousness  of  v^'^orks  which  belong  to  the 
safety  of  the  eternal  life  ^.  And  now  are  my  bonds  manifest, 
which  I  suffer  in  Christ ;  in  which  I  am  glad  and  rejoice.  And 
this  falls  out  to  me  unto  eternal  salvation,  which  is  effected  by 
your  prayers  and  by  the  help  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  whether  through 
life  or  through  death.  For  to  me  to  live  is  [life]  in  Christ,  and  to 
die  is  gain.  And  He  will  bring  that  same  thing  to  pass  in  you  by 
His  mercy,  that  ye  may  have  the  same  love  and  be  of  one  mind. 
Therefore,  beloved,  as  ye  have  heard  in  my  presence,  so  hold 
fast  and  do  in  the  love  of  God,  and  you  will  have  life  for  ever, 
for  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  you.  And  do  without  hesitation 
whatever  ye  do.  And  finally,  beloved,  rejoice  in  Christ  and 
beware  of  those  who  are  greedy  of  gain.  Let  all  your  prayers 
be  open  before  God,  and  be  ye  constant  in  the  mind  of  Christ. 
And  whatsoever  is  noble,  and  true,  and  chaste,  and  upright,  and 
lovely  do.  And  what  you  have  heard  and  received,  hold  in  your 
heart,  and  you  shall  have  peace.  The  saints  salute  you.  The 
grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit.     And  see  that  the 

^  This  sentence  is  very  obscure,  and  Lightfoot  supposes  some 
words  have  been  omitted,  and  that  the  latter  part  of  the  sentence 
belongs  to  another,  the  beginning  of  which  has  been  lost. 

N   2 


i8o  APPENDIX  A 

Colossians'  letter  be   read   to  you   [and   this   letter  also  to  the 
Colossians]. 

The  Latin  text  of  the  above  Epistle  exists  in  a  large  number 
of  MSS.  There  is  considerable  variation  in  the  text,  and  also  in 
the  position  of  the  letter.  It  is  most  frequently  found  immediately 
after  Colossians,  but  sometimes  after  Hebrews,  and  not  un- 
commonly quite  at  the  end  of  the  New  Testament ;  occasionally 
it  is  found  in  other  places. 

Lightfoot  argues  that  there  must  have  been  a  Greek  original, 
both  from  the  peculiar  construction  of  the  Latin,  and  also  from  the 
fiact  that  the  quotations  of  which  it  is  so  full  were  not  made  from 
existing  Latin  texts  of  Paul's  Epistles.  Besides,  such  a  letter  was 
known  to  Greek  writers,  and  its  title  appears  in  the  list  of  Nev/ 
Testament  books  given  in  the  Muratorian  Fragment  (about  1 70  a.  d.  ). 
It  seems  to  have  been  very  early  and  very  generally  regarded  as 
a  forgery,  though,  as  Lightfoot  says,  it  is  difficult  to  assign  a  reason, 
except  the  wish  to  supply  the  letter  mentioned  in  Col.  iv.  16.  It 
has  no  doctrinal  peculiarities  to  uphold  nor  heretical  opinions  to 
proclaim.  *  Thus,'  he  concludes,  '  it  is  quite  harmless,  so  far  as 
falsity  and  stupidity  combined  can  ever  be  regarded  as  harmless.' 


APPENDIX  B 

THE  RELATION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS 
TO  OTHER  NEW  TESTAMENT  WRITINGS. 

A.     The  Epistle  to  the  Colossians. 
B.     The  Fourth  Gospel. 


A.    The  Epistle  to  the  Colossians. 

The  most  superficial  reading  of  the  Epistles  to  the  Ephesians 
and  the  Colossians  reveals  a  strong  resemblance  between  the 
letters.  Indeed,  this  feature  of  similarity  of  contents  and  language 
may  appear  to  many  the  most  striking  one  in  the  comparison. 
Yet  a  more  careful  examination  will  shew  that  the  differences  are 
no  less  remarkable  and  noteworthy  than  the  instances  of  verbal 
and  all  but  verbal  coincidence.  The  clearest  way  in  which  to 
illustrate  these  statements  is  to  read  a  few  of  the  more  striking 
parallels  side  by  side.     Let  us  take  the  following : — 

Eph.  i.  I,  2.  Col.  i.  1,2. 

Paul,  an   apostle  of  Christ  Paul,  an  apostle  of   Christ 

Jesus  through  the  will  of  God,  Jesus  through  the  will  of  God, 

to  the  saints  which  are  at  Ephe-  and  Timothy   our  brother,    to 

sus,  and  the  faithful  in  Christ  the  saints  and  faithful  brethren 

Jesus:  Grace  to  you  and  peace  in  Christ  which  are  at  Colossae; 

from  God  our  Father  and  the  Grace  to  you  and  peace  from 

Lord  Jesus  Christ.  God  our  Father. 

These  are  almost  identical,  save  that  Timothy  is  associated  in 
the  greeting  to  Colossae,  as  is  natural,  if  the  view  that  the  Ephesian 
Letter  was  a  circular  one  is  correct,  for  Paul  would  not  be  then 
so  likely  to  associate  the  name  of  one  of  his  companions,  thus 
giving  a  directly  personal  note  to  a  letter  that  was  designed  to 
bear  a  more  general  character.  It  may  be  dangerous  to  assign 
a  reason  for  the  inclusion  of 'the  Lord  Jesus  Christ'  in  the  one 
case,  and  not  in  the  other,  but  there  may  have  been  a  distinct 


l82 


APPENDIX  B 


purpose  in  emphasizing  the  unity  and  majestj'  of  the  Father  to 
a  people  who  were  read^'  to  confuse  the  nature  of  the  Godhead, 
and  by  their  theories  to  lessen,  while  they  thought  they  were 
increasing,  His  glory.    Again  : — 


Col.  iii.  9, 10. 

Seeing  that  ye  have  put  off 
the  old  man  with  his  doings, 
and  have  put  on  the  new  man, 
which  is  being  renewed  unto 
knowledge  after  the  image  of 
him  that  created  him. 


Eph.  iv.  20-24. 

But  ye  did  not  so  learn 
Christ ;  if  so  be  that  ye  heard 
him,  and  were  taught  in  him, 
even  as  truth  is  in  Jesus  :  that 
ye  put  away,  as  concerning 
your  former  manner  of  life,  the 
old  man,  which  waxeth  corrupt 
after  the  lusts  of  deceit ;  and 
that  ye  be  renewed  in  the  spirit 
of  your  mind,  and  put  on  the 
new  man,  which  after  God  hath 
been  created  in  righteousness 
and  holiness  of  truth. 

Eph.  v.  3-8, 

But  fornication,  and  all  un- 
cleanness,  or  covetousness,  let 
it  not  even  be  named  among 
you,  as  becometh  saints  ;  nor 
filthiness,  nor  foolish  talking, 
or  jesting,  which  are  not  befit- 
ting :  but  rather  giving  of 
thanks.  For  this  ye  know  of 
a  surety,  that  no  fornicator,  nor 
unclean  person,  nor  covetous 
man,  which  is  an  idolater,  hath 
any  inheritance  in  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  and  God.  Let  no 
man  deceive  3'ou  with  empty 
words :  for  because  of  these 
things  Cometh  the  wrath  of  God 
upon  the  sons  of  disobedience. 
Be  not  ye  therefore  partakers 
with  them  ;  for  ye  were  once 
darkness,  but  are  now  light  in 
the  Lord. 

In  this  instance  also  the  Ephesian  form  is  the  longer  and  more 
elaborate,  as  would  be  natural  in  a  letter  addressed  to  a  much 
larger  number,  and  also  to  those  who  were  to  receive  as  well 
the  shorter  letter.     It  is  interesting  to  notice  how  the  one  often 


Col.  iii.  5-8. 

Mortify  therefore  your  mem- 
bers which  are  upon  the  earth; 
fornication,  uncleanness,  pas- 
sion, evil  desire,  and  covetous- 
ness, the  which  is  idolatry  ;  for 
which  things'  sake  cometh  the 
wrath  of  God  upon  the  sons  of 
disobedience ;  in  the  which  ye 
also  walked  aforetime,  when 
ye  lived  in  these  things.  But 
now  put  ye  also  away  all 
these ;  anger,  wrath,  malice, 
railing,  shameful  speaking  out 
of  your  mouth. 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS      183 


serves  as  an  explanatory  commentary  upon  the  other,  e,  g.  in 
Colossians  we  read,  'after  the  image  of  Him  that  created  him.' 
Could  there  be  any  question  as  to  who  that  Creator  was  ?  The 
form  in  Ephesians  leaves  no  uncertainty,  and  adds  a  statement 
of  the  spiritual  nature  of  the  new  manhood,  'which  after  God 
hath  been  created  in  righteousness  and  holiness  of  truth.'  In 
the  case  of  the  moral  evils  denounced,  it  would  seem  as  if,  for 
once,  the  Apostle  saw  greater  danger  of  false  teaching  affecting 
those  to  whom  the  General  Epistle  is  sent  than  those  to  whom 
the  particular  one  is  directed,  for  in  Ephesians  we  have  the  words 
introduced,  'Let  no  man  deceive  you  with  empty  words.'  We 
know,  however,  that  forms  of  teaching,  which  led  to  immoral 
practices,  were  prevalent  throughout  the  whole  district,  so  that 
this  warning  is  generally  applicable,  and  does  not  invalidate  the 
contention  that,  on  the  whole,  the  Colossian  Epistle  is  the  more 
controversial  of  the  two.     Again:— 


Eph.  v.  18-21. 

And  be  not  drunken  with 
wine,  wherein  is  riot,  but  be 
filled  with  the  Spirit ;  speaking 
one  to  another  in  psalms  and 
hymns  and  spiritual  songs, 
singing  and  making  melody 
with  your  heart  to  the  Lord  ; 
giving  thanks  always  for  all 
things  in  the  name  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  God,  even  the 
Father  ;  subjecting  yourselves 
one  to  another  in  the  fear  of 
Christ. 


Col.  iii.  16,  17. 

Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell 
in  you  richly  in  all  wisdom ; 
teaching  and  admonishing  one 
another  with  psalms  rt?zaf  hymns 
atid  spiritual  songs,  singing 
with  grace  in  your  hearts  unto 
God.  And  whatsoever  ye  do, 
in  word  or  in  deed,  do  all  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
giving  thanks  to  God  the  Fa- 
ther through  him. 


Here  the  connexion  is  different  in  each  case.  In  the  one,  the 
thought  of  the  evil  excitement,  associated  with  the  festivals  of 
heathenism,  is  contrasted  with  the  spiritual  joys  of  the  new  faith, 
while  in  the  other  the  educative  vahie  of  sacred  song,  as  serving 
to  store  the  mind  with  Divine  truth,  is  the  reason  alleged  for  its 
practice.     Again  : — 


Eph.  v.  22,  vi.  1-9. 

Wives,  be  in  subjection  unto 
your  own  husbands,  as  unto 
the  Lord. 


Children,  obey  your  parents 
in  the  Lord  :  for  this  is  right. 
Honour  thy  father  and  mother 


Col.  iii.  18 — iv.  i. 
Wives,  be  in  subjection  to 
your  husbands,  as  is  fitting 
in  the  Lord.  Husbands,  love 
your  wives,  and  be  not  bitter 
against  them.  Children,  obey 
your  parents  in  all  things,  for 
this    is    well-pleasing    in    the 


1 84 


APPENDIX  B 


Col.  iii.  i8 — iv.  i  (^cont.^. 

Lord.  Fathers,  provoke  not 
your  children,  that  they  be  not 
discouraged.  Servants,  obey  in 
all  things  them  that  are  your 
masters  according  to  the  flesh  ; 
not  with  eyeservice,  as  men- 
pleasers,  but  in  singleness  of 
heart,  fearing  the  Lord :  what- 
soever ye  do,  work  heartily,  as 
unto  the  Lord,  and  not  unto 
men  ;  knowing  that  from  the 
Lord  ye  shall  receive  the  re- 
compense of  the  inheritance  : 
ye  serve  the  Lord  Christ.  For 
he  that  doeth  wrong  shall  re- 
ceive again  for  the  wrong  that 
he  hath  done  :  and  there  is  no 
respect  of  persons.  Masters, 
render  unto  your  servants  that 
which  is  just  and  equal ;  know- 
ing that  ye  also  have  a  Master 
in  heaven. 


Eph.  v.  22,  vi.  1-9  [con/.). 

(which  is  the  first  command- 
ment with  promise),  that  it 
may  be  well  with  thee,  and 
thou  mayest  live  long  on  the 
earth.  And,  ye  fathers,  pro- 
voke not  your  children  to 
wrath  :  but  nurture  them  in 
the  chastening  and  admonition 
of  the  Lord. 

Servants,  be  obedient  unto 
them  that  according  to  the 
flesh  are  your  masters,  with 
fear  and  trembling,  in  single- 
ness of  your  heart,  as  unto 
Christ ;  not  in  the  way  of  eye- 
service,  as  men-pleasers  ;  but 
as  servants  of  Christ,  doing  the 
will  of  God  from  the  heart ; 
with  good  will  doing  service, 
as  unto  the  Lord,  and  not 
unto  men  :  knowing  that  what- 
soever good  thing  each  one 
doeth,  the  same  shall  he  re- 
ceive again  from  the  Lord, 
whether  he  be  bond  or  free. 
And,  ye  masters,  do  the  same 
things  unto  them,  and  forbear 
threatening:  knowing  that  both 
their  Master  and  yours  is  in 
heaven,  and  there  is  no  respect 
of  persons  with  him. 

Here  the  most  striking  feature  is  the  absence  in  Colossians  of 
the  long  and  celebrated  passage  on  Marriage,  as  a  parable  of  the 
relation  in  which  Christ  stands  to  his  church,  that  intervenes 
between  the  verse  common  to  the  two  Epistles  and  the  injunc- 
tions to  the  children  in  that  to  the  Ephesians.  Again  the  reason 
of  its  omission  may  have  been  that  both  letters  were  to  be  heard 
by  the  Colossian  and  Laodicean  churches,  and  that  it  was  not 
requisite  to  repeat  such  a  striking  passage,  but  it  must  be  confessed 
this  is  not  a  convincing  argument.  There  does  seem  a  probable 
explanation  in  the  difference  of  expression.  In  the  one  case, 
wifely  subjection  is  urged  as  being  'unto  the  Lord';  in  the 
other,  it  is  stated  to  be  •■  as  is  fitting  in  the  Lord.'  The  former 
striking  phrase  required  explanation.  It  was  necessary  to  make 
clear  in  what  sense  subjection  to  a  husband  could  be  regarded  as 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS      185 


obedience  to  Christ ;  and  the  whole  of  the  theory  of  marriage  thus 
implied  had  to  be  set  forth.  The  parallel  is  very  close  in  the 
remaining  injunctions,  though,  as  is  customary,  more  extended  in 
the  Ephesian  Epistle. 

The  last  parallel  that  I  shall  now  adduce  is,  in  some  ways,  the 
most  instructive  of  all,  because  the  differences  arc  more  marked 
than  the  resemblances  : — 


Eph.  i.  15-23. 

For  this  cause  I  also,  having 
heard  of  the  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  which  is  among  you,  and 
which  ye  shew  toward  all  the 
saints,  cease  not  to  give  thanks 
for  you,  making  mention  ofyoit 
in  my  prayers  ;  that  the  God 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Father  of  glory,  may  give  unto 
you  a  spirit  of  wisdom  and 
revelation  in  the  knowledge  of 
him ;  having  the  eyes  of  your 
heart  enlightened,  that  ye  may 
know  what  is  the  hope  of  his 
calling,  what  the  riches  of  the 
glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the 
saints,  and  what  the  exceeding 
greatness  of  his  power  to  us- 
ward  who  believe,  according  to 
that  working  of  the  strength 
of  his  might  which  he  wrought 
in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him 
from  the  dead,  and  made  him 
to  sit  at  his  right  hand  in  the 
heavenly  places,  far  above  all 
rule,  and  authority,  and  power, 
and  dominion,  and  every  name 
that  is  named,  not  only  in  this 
world,  but  also  in  that  which 
is  to  come  :  and  he  put  all 
things  in  subjection  under  his 
feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  head 
over  all  things  to  the  church, 
which  is  his  body,  the  fulness 
of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all. 


Col.  i.  3-5,  9-18. 

We  give  thanks  to  God  the 
Father  of  cur  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  praying  always  for  you, 
having  heard  of  your  faith  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  of  the  love 
which  ye  have  toward  all  the 
saints. 


For  this  cause  we  also,  since 
the  day  we  heard  /'/,  do  not  cease 
to  pray  and  make  request  for 
you,  that  ye  may  be  filled  with 
the  knowledge  of  his  will  in 
all  spiritual  wisdom  and  un- 
derstanding, to  walk  worthily 
of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing, 
bearing  fruit  in  every  good 
work,  and  increasing  in  the 
knowledge  of  God  ;  strength- 
ened with  all  power,  according 
to  the  might  of  his  glory,  unto 
all  patience  and  longsuffering 
with  joy  ;  giving  thanks  unto 
the  Father,  who  made  us  meet 
to  be  partakers  of  the  inherit- 
ance of  the  saints  in  light  ; 
who  delivered  us  out  of  the 
power  of  darkness,  and  trans- 
lated us  into  the  kingdom  of 
the  Son  of  his  love  ;  in  whom 
we  have  our  redemption,  the 
forgiveness  of  our  sins  :  who  is 
the  image  of  the  invisible  God, 
the  firstborn  of  all  creation  ; 
for  in  him  were  all  things 
created,  in  the  heavens  and 
upon  the  earth,  things  visible 
and  things   invisible,    whether 


i86  APPENDIX  B 

Col.  i.  3-5,  9-18  {cout.). 

thrones  or  dominions  or  prin- 
cipalities or  powers  ;  all  things 
have  been  created  through  him, 
and  unto  him ;  and  he  is  before 
all  things,  and  in  him  all  things 
consist.  And  he  is  the  head 
of  the  body,  the  church  :  who 
is  the  beginning,  the  firstborn 
from  the  dead ;  that  in  all 
things  he  might  have  the  pre- 
eminence. 

The  main  purpose  of  the  prayer  in  the  Ephesian  Epistle  is  for 
spiritual  illumination,  while  in  the  other  it  is  for  growth  in  holiness 
of  life.  In  the  Colossian  passage,  the  nature  and  authority  of 
Christ  are  enlarged  upon  and  elaborated,  evidently  with  a  con- 
troversial purpose,  as  correcting  current  error. 

These  examples  may  suffice,  but  a  careful  and  minute  study  of 
the  two  books,  verse  by  verse,  will  reveal  much  more  of  a  similar 
nature.  The  carefully  prepared  references  of  the  Revisers  are  of 
immense  service  in  such  an  investigation. 

Now  the  problem  emerges.  How  are  we  to  account  for  such 
considerable  and  continuous  parallels  in  two  Epistles,  side  by  side, 
within  the  New  Testament — 

*  Not  like  to  like,  but  like  in  difference '  "i 

The  most  obvious  reply  is  that  one  is  a  copy  of  the  other.  In 
some  form  or  other  this  theory  has  been  maintained  by  many,  cither 
that  Ephesians  is  extended  from  Colossians,  or  that  Colossians 
is  a  precis  form  of  Ephesians.  Most  ingenious  is  the  idea  of  one 
scholar,  that  Ephesians  was  elaborated  from  an  earlier  form  of 
Colossians  than  the  one  we  now  possess,  while  the  extant 
Colossians  was  in  turn  derived  from  the  two  former'.  This 
partakes  too  much  of  the  Chinese  puzzle  form  of  criticism  to 
commend  itself  to  the  mind  of  many  students  of  the  subject.  All 
this  class  of  explanations  takes  for  granted  that  one,  at  least, 
of  the  Epistles  is  not  from  Paul's  hand.  The  more  direct  and 
personal  character  of  Colossians  would  favour  its  genuineness,  but 
then  the  passages  that  would  thus  fall  to  the  imitator,  in  the  Epistle 
to  the  Ephesians,  are  so  lofty,  deep,  and  subtle,  as  to  bear  the 
mark  of  Paul's  finest  work.  Were  Colossians  the  work  of  the 
later  hand,  it  is  scarcely  conceivable  that  several  of  the  omissions 
therein  noted,  in  the  above  parallels,  would  have  been  made. 
If  we  are  correct  in  our  contention,  that  both  letters  are  from 


'   Holtzmann. 


THE  FOURTH  GOSPEL  187 

Paul's  own  hand,  then  the  explanation  is  not  difficult.  The 
thoughts  common  to  both  were  in  his  mind  at  one  time.  In  the 
longer  and  more  elaborate  Epistle,  he  sets  these  ideas  forth  in  the 
fullness  of  their  form,  as  a  definite  body  of  teaching  on  the  great 
intellectual  problems  that  were  disturbing  the  minds  of  many  of 
the  Christians  of  Asia.  He  puts  them  there  in  their  positive  and 
universal  aspect.  In  the  shorter  letter  he  has  in  view  certain 
definite  errors  which  he  wishes  to  combat,  and  with  the  necessary 
correctives  to  which  he  desires  to  supply  his  converts.  This 
special  form  of  error  Lightfoot  ^  has  shewn  consisted  in  a  Judaic 
Gnosticism,  which  combined  ascetic  practices  (see  Col.  ii.  16-23) 
with  a  speculative  philosophy,  which  made  light  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  resurrection  (see  Col.  ii.  8-15),  proclaimed  an  elaborate 
hierarchy  of  angelic  beings  (see  Col.  i.  15,  18),  and  maintained 
an  attitude  of  intellectual  exclusiveness  (see  Col.  i.  26-29).  By 
their  doctrine  of  Angels  their  teaching  on  Creation  was  also 
affected,  and  therefore  it  is  that  the  Apostle  makes  so  clear  the 
place  of  Christ  in  the  cosmic  order  (Col.  i.  16,  17).  In  the 
Ephesian  Letter,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  Christ's  relation  to 
the  church  that  is  the  chief  subject  of  instruction. 

We  conclude,  therefore,  that  the  peculiarly  intimate  connexion 
of  these  two  Epistles  is  to  be  explained  by  the  fact  that  they  were 
written  in  close  succession,  that  they  dealt  with  the  problems  then 
exercising  the  Apostle's  mind,  owing  to  the  reports  that  had 
reached  him  from  the  churches  in  Asia  Minor,  and  that  this  infor- 
mation determined  the  special  character  of  the  teaching.  In  the 
case  of  the  Colossian  Letter  he  is  setting  himself  to  correct  certain 
definite  errors,  and  to  meet  the  circumstances  of  an  individual 
church.  The  longer  letter  contains  the  general  principles  which, 
in  the  shorter  one,  find  particular  application  to  local  needs. 

B.     The  Fourth  Gospel. 

It  will  have  been  remarked  that  in  the  notes  fairly  frequent 
reference  has  been  made  to  the  Gospel  of  John,  and  that  with  one 
chapter  in  particular,  the  seventeenth,  numerous  close  parallels 
have  been  given  (see  p.  86).  The  Logos-  (the  '  Word-')  doctrine, 
with  which  every  reader  of  the  opening  verses  of  John's  Gospel 
is  familiar,  is  implied  in  the  tenth  verse  of  the  first  chapter  of 
Ephesians.  The  use  of  the  words  Move,*  Might,'  'sanctifica- 
tion,'  and  similar  terms,  are  alike  in  both  writings.  *  The  contrast,' 
to  quote  Abbott,  '  between  the  light  which  Christ  brings  and  the 
opposing  power  of  darkness  is  expressed  in  both  with  striking 
similarity.'  (Cf.  Eph.  v.  8,  'walk  as  children  of  light ' ;  verse  11, 
*  have  no  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,  but  rather 
even  reprove  them ' ;  verse  13, '  But  all  things  when  they  are  reproved 

*  Commentary  on  Colossians,  pp.  71 -in. 


i88    APPENDIX  B.     THE  FOURTH  GOSPEL 

are  made  manifest  by  the  light  :  for  everything  that  is  made 
manifest  is  light,'  with  John  xii.  35,  'Walk  while 3-6  have  the  light'; 
iii.  20.  2T,  '  For  every  one  that  doeth  ill  hateth  the  light,  and 
Cometh  not  to  the  light,  lest  his  works  should  be  reproved.') 
It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that  the  most  striking  parallels  are 
found  in  three  chapters  of  the  gospel,  viz.  the  first,  third,  and 
seventeenth.  Two  of  these,  at  least,  contain  the  reflections  and 
speculations  of  the  writer  of  the  gospel,  and  we  cannot  but  think 
that  the  form,  at  all  events,  however  much  more,  of  the  great 
intercessory  prayer  is  due  to  the  same  source.  The  interest  of 
the  comparison  deepens  when  we  realize  its  significance.  The 
Ephesian  Letter  was  circulated  in  the  churches  of  Asia  Minor,  and 
it  is  all  but  certain  that  Ephesus  itself  would  possess  a  copy. 
Whether  we  are  of  opinion  that  John  the  Apostle,  or  a  later  John, 
is  the  author  of  the  Fourth  Gospel,  it  emanated  from  the  same 
district.  Their  writer  was  almost  certainly  a  student  of  this  great 
doctrinal  Epistle  of  Paul.  Its  teaching  found  in  him  a  ready 
disciple.  Their  minds  were  akin,  and  he  became  steeped  in  its 
thoughts  and  language.  When  he  began  to  write  on  similar 
themes,  it  is  not  surprising  to  find  him  using  the  phraseology 
of  his  great  master.  It  would  seem  that  Paul,  in  Ephesians  and 
Colossians,  had  played  a  larger  part  in  the  creation  of  the  Logos- 
doctrine  of  the  Christian  church  than  he  is  often  supposed  to 
have  done,  and  that  he  who  made  it  so  famous  in  the  opening 
sentences  of  his  gospel  had  found  one  source,  at  least,  in  these 
Epistles.  In  Professor  Percy  Gardner's  ^  latest  volume  he  takes  this 
point  of  view,  and  in  relation  to  it  says  :  '  Although  the  Logos- 
doctrine  appears  first  in  fully  developed  form  in  the  Fourth 
Gospel,  yet  in  earlier  writings  we  may  find  approximations  to 
it.  Paul  in  this,  as  in  manj''  matters,  prepared  the  way  for  the 
Evangelist.  In  Rom.  x.  6  he  writes,  "The  righteousness  which 
is  of  faith  saith  thus,  Say  not  in  thy  heart,  Who  shall  ascend  into 
heaven?  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ  down  :)  or,  Who  shall  descend 
into  the  abyss?  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ  up  from  the  dead.)  But 
what  saith  it  ?  The  word  is  nigh  thee,  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy 
heart.  "  Here,  although  the  noun  rendered  "'  word  "  is  rema  and 
not  logos,  yet  Paul  seems  within  a  step  of  speaking  of  Christ  as 
the  Word  of  God.  And  the  step  which  Paul  does  not  take  is 
actually  taken  by  the  writer  of  the  Apocal^'pse,  when  he  speaks 
of  the  rider  on  the  white  horse,  who  is  arrayed  in  a  garment 
sprinkled  with  blood  :  and  whose  name  is  the  Word  of  God.'  It 
will  not  be  the  least  of  the  great  services  of  this  Epistle  to  the 
church  of  Christ,  if  it  be  discovered  that  it  served  as  one  of  the 
sources  of  inspiration  of  that  immortal  work  which  the  church 
knows  as  the  Gospel  of  St.  John. 

'   Percy  Gardner, /I  Historic  Viei'o  of  the  Neiv  Testament,  p.  197; 
see  whole  of  Lecture  VI. 


INDEX 


[^The  Numerais  refer  to  the  Pages.'\ 


Abbott,  80,  S3,  86,  90,  99,  103, 
107,  112,  126,  134,  135,  139, 
142,  146,  187. 

Acts  of  the  Apostles,  35. 

Adoption,  80. 

Alexander  the  Great,  33. 

Alford,  129. 

American  Revisers,  142,  145, 
161. 

Angels,  92. 

Antiochus  II,  13. 

Apamea,  11. 

Apocalypse,  13,  188. 

Apocrypha,  127,  133. 

Apollo,  5,  14. 

Apphia,  29. 

Aquila  and  Priscilla,  14. 

Archippus,  29,  151. 

Aristarchus,  149. 

Aristotle,  5,  86,  114,  117. 

Arnold,  Matthew,  175. 

Artemis,  14. 

Ascetic,  25. 

Asia,  II. 

Assyrian  clay  tablets,  3. 

Athletics  {see  Metaphors). 

Augustine,  97,  118. 

Barnabas,  Epistle  of,  7. 

Baur,  24. 

'Beloved* — a  name  of  Christ, 

81. 
Bengel,  107,  156,  172. 
Bennet  and  Adeney,  vii. 
Bernard,  23. 
Beyschlag,  vi. 
Bigg,  85. 


'  Bishops,'  157. 
Blackie,  J.  S.,  108. 
'  Boldness,'  162. 
British  Museum,  4,  15. 
Browning,  26,  164,  166. 
Banyan,  23,  97,  126. 
Butler,  89. 


Csesarea,  8. 

Calvin,  loi. 

'Captivity,  Epistles  of  the,'  7,  9. 

Cerinthus,  26. 

Chiasm,  153. 

'  Children  and  Parents,'  122. 

Christ  the  one  Mediator,  25. 

Chrysostom,  82,  91,  119. 

Church,  120,  135. 

Cicero,  5,  94. 

Circular  letter,  18,  95. 

Circumcision,  91,  140,  170. 

Clement  of  Rome,  7. 

'Codex  Bezae,'  116,  136. 

Coleridge,  22. 

Colony,  163. 

Colossse,  12. 

Colossians,  Epistle  to  the,  20, 

24,  181. 
Commandments,  Reference  to, 

123. 
Corinthians,  Epistles  to  the,  15. 
Courtesy  of  Paul,  109,  147,  149, 

156,  173- 
Coverdale's  version,  144. 
*  Covetousness,'  no,  114,  115. 
Cowper,  139. 
Crenides,  33. 


190 


INDEX 


Dante,  80,  86. 
Deacons,  157. 
Deissmann,  4,  6,  159,  165. 
Demas,  150. 
Devil,  112. 
Dickson,  165. 
Diognetus,  Epistle  to,  7. 
Dionysius  of  Halicarnassus,  5. 

*  Discernment,'  159. 
Dispensation     {see     '  Steward- 
ship'). 

Dods,  vii. 
Dyes,  13. 

*  Earnest,'  84. 
Earthquakes,  12. 
Egnatian  Road,  35. 
Election,  Paul's  doctrine  of,  84. 
Eliot,  George,  147. 

Ellicott,  132. 

Emancipation  of  slaves,  31. 
Enochj   Book  of  the  Secrets  of, 

126. 
Epaphras.  12,  14,  130,  131. 
Epaphroditus,  168. 
Ephesians,   Epistle  to  the,   17, 

83. 
—  authenticity  of,  i8,  186. 
Ephesus,  II,  14. 
Epictetus,  118. 
Epistles,  The,  as  literature,  3. 

*  Epistles  of  the  Captivity,'  7,  9. 
Epistles  of  Paul,  lost,  151,  169. 
Essenes,  25. 

Euodia,  174. 

Findlaj',  vi,  11. 

'  Foundation    of   apostles    and 

prophets,'  93. 
Fuller,  112. 
'  Fullness,' 87,  135,  140. 

Gardner,  Prof.  Percy,  188. 
Gibb,  9. 

Gill,  T.  H.,  173. 
Gnostics,  94. 
Greetings,  83. 


Grcyson  Letters,  6. 
Gwynn,  9. 

Hamerton,  6. 
Harnack,  10. 
Hastings'  Dictionary  of  the  Bible, 

II,  19,  105,  116,  134. 
Hebrews,  Epistle  to  the,  6. 
Herbert,  George,  118. 
Heuzey,  34. 
Hierapolis,  13,  138. 
Holtzmann,  20. 
Horace,  5. 
Hort,  19,  20,  21,  85. 
'  Husbands  and  wives,'  119. 
Hymns,  116,  118. 
Hypatia,  Kingsley's,  169. 

Ignatius,  7,  160,  167. 
Imprisonment  of  Paul,  8. 
'  In  Christ,'  21,  86,  95. 
Irenaeus,  26. 

James,  Epistle  of,  6. 

John,  13,  16. 

John,  Gospel  of,  20,  86. 

—  I  Epistle  of,  6. 

Johannine  elements  in  Paul,  20, 

187. 
Jonson,  Ben,  176. 
Judaism,  91,  140,  170. 
Jiilicher,  10. 
Julius  Caesar,  34. 
Justus,  149. 
Juvenal,  8. 

Kant,  85. 
Kay,  105. 
Kenosis,  165. 

Laodicea,  12,  13,  150. 
Laodiceans,  Epistle  to  the,  150, 

179. 
'Learn  Christ,'  110. 
Letters  of  ancient  world,  3. 


INDEX 


191 


Lightfoot,  7,  26,  27,  78,  81,  82, 
83'  84,  85,  92,  133,  134,  142, 
143,  146,  151,  153,  162,  165, 
166,  176,  180. 

Lincoln,  Abraham,  31. 

Litotes,  no. 

Lock,  20,  105. 

Lowell,  31. 

Luke,  9,  143,  150,  168. 

Luther,  31,  loi. 

Lycus,  Valley  of  the,  n. 

McClymont,  vi. 

Macedonia,  33,  38. 

—  the  man  of,  35. 

Maeander,  11. 

Mark,  16,  149. 

Marriage,  19. 

Max  Mailer,  146. 

Menander,  103. 

Metaphors,  108,  in,   148,   169, 

*  Middle  wall  of  partition,   92. 

Miletus,  II. 

Milton,  86. 

Moffatt,  vi. 

Moule,  120. 

Muratorian  Fragment,  180. 

Myers',  F.  W.  H.,  St.  Paul,  vii, 

136,  137,  138,  162. 
'Mystery,'  88. 

Names  common  in  Philippi,  34, 

178. 
Nature,  Love  of,  36. 
Neapolis,  35. 
Nymphas,  150. 

Old  English  words,  162,  176. 
Onesimus,  30,  128,  147,  156. 
Optimism  of  Paul,  161. 
Ovid,  5. 

Paget,  127. 
Paley,  82. 


'  Panopl}','  125. 

Papyri,  Greek,  4. 

Parabolani,  169. 

'  Partition,  Wall  of,'  92. 

Paul's  language,  6,  87,  92,  154. 

—  eye  for  nature,  36. 
Peake,  vii. 

'  Perfecting,'  107. 

Peter,  i  Epistle  of,  20,  85. 

—  2  Epistle  of.  5. 
Philemon,  29. 
Philemon,  Epistle  to,  28. 
Philip  the  Apostle,  13. 
Philip  of  Macedon,  33. 
Philippi,  33. 

Philippians,  Epistle  to  the,   9, 

38. 

—  integrity  of,  38. 
Phillips,  Stephen,  134, 
Phrygia,  25. 
Phrygian  powder,  13. 
Plato,  86,  100,  134. 
Pleroma,  27,  87. 
Pliny,  5,  28,  118. 
Plutarch,  5,  112,  120. 
Polycarp,  7. 
Prcetoriutn,  8,  40,  160, 
Praetors,  34. 
Presbyters,  158. 
Priene,  11. 
Priscilla  (see  Aquila). 
Prudentius,  23. 

'Psalm  Ixviii,  the  Christians', 

105. 
Pythagoreans,      treatment     of 

anger  by,  112. 

Quotation,  formula  of,  104,  116. 

Rabbis,  story  of  the,  91 . 
Ramsay,   8,    15,    35,    40,    117, 

160. 
Renan,  29,  35. 
Reuss,  7. 

Revelation,  Book  of  the,  13. 
Reville,  157. 


192 


INDEX 


'  Riches,'  82. 

Roads,  Roman,  11,  35. 

Rome,  8. 

Sabatier,  31. 

Sacrifice    in     Paul's    writings, 

Metaphor  of,  167. 
Salutations,  130. 
Scott,  C.  Anderson,  6. 
Scythian,  146. 
Seneca,  5. 
'Servants    and    masters,'    123, 

156. 
Seven  Churches  of  Asia,  13. 
Shakespeare,  34,  89,  138. 
Sidney,  Sir  Philip,  154. 
Slaves  and  Christianity,  31. 
Stalker,  vi. 
'Stature,'  108. 
Stevens,  vi. 

Stewardship,  82,  98,  137. 
Stowe,  Mrs.  Beecher,  31. 
Syntyche,  174. 
Synzygus,  174. 

Teaching  of  the  Twelve  Apostles, 
158. 


Temple  at  Ephesus,  14. 
Tennyson,  G,  85,  99,  121,  122, 

135,  139,  ^2,  175. 
Tertullian,  17. 
Theodoret,  97. 
Thucydides,  127. 
Timothy,  9.  12,  130,  157. 
Trench,  118, 

Trial  before  Nero,  Paul's,  40. 
Trophimus,  92. 
'Tulliver,  Maggie,'  147. 
Twentieth    Century  New   Testa- 

niettt,  vi. 
Tychicus,  128. 
Tyrannus,  school  of,  15,  26. 

Via  Egnatia,  35. 
Vincent,  155,  163,  175. 
Virgil,  115. 

Von  Soden,  22,  121,  128. 
Vulgate,  122. 


Wesley,  Charles,  125. 
Westcott  and  Hort,  85. 
Wisdom,  Book  of,  127,  133. 
*  Workmanship,'  90, 
Wycliffe's  version,  138. 


[For  Contents  of  the  Epistles  see  pp.  23,  27,  32,  41.] 


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